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QUESTS 

POEMS  IN  PROSE 


BY 


SYLVIA  HORTENSE   BLISS 


MONTPELIER,  VERMONT 

CAPITAL  CITY  PRESS 
1920 


WA^V^ 


COPYRIGHT,  1920,  BY  SYLVIA  HORTENSE  BLISS 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 

Published  July  1920 


QUESTS 


469912 


3  will  disclose  to  those  who  have  not  seetij  the 
beauty  of  the  world. 

I  will  not  strive  to  enhance  the  beauty  by  fine 
phrases,   nor  hide  it  under  a   covering  of  words. 

I  will  stand  aside  that  I  may  not  be  in  the  way 
of  a  tree  and  that  my  shadow  may  not  fall  upon  a 
iiower. 

I  will  be  silent  while  the  thrush  sings  and  the 
young  leaves  rustle  in  the  wind. 

I  will  hide  my  little  light  that  men  may  not  turn 
from  the  sunlight  nor  withdraw  their  gaze  from  the 
night  sky. 

I  will  be  as  one  who  stands  humbly  at  the  portal 
to  give  entrance  to  those  who  seek  the  beauty  of  the 
world. 

I  open  doors  before  you.  You  may  pass  through 
or  turn  away,  as  you  will. 

There  are  doors  which  I  will  open  that  shall 
never  close.  You  will  see  the  open  doors  and  before 
you  are  aware  you  will  have  passed  through. 


I.  Quests  OF  Day  AND  Night       .       .  ii 

II.  The  Quest  of  Nature         .       .  25 

III.  The  Quest  of  Love  ....  49 

IV.  The  Quest  of  Life        ...  75 
V.  The  Eternal  Quest         ...  81 


/  brought  to  them  a  flower  and  they  gave  me 
thanks.  I  brought  to  them  a  little  poem  and  they 
gave  me  praise. 

I  brought  to  them  a  truth  and  they  were  silent. 
I  could  not  know  if  they  received  it. 


I 

QUESTS    OF    DAY   AND    NIGHT 


QUESTS  OF  DAY  AND  NIGHT 


From  the  east  cometh  the  day.  Again  it  has 
circled  the  earth  and  looked  upon  all  lands  and 
all   peoples. 

It  has  seen  the  enterprises  and  tasks  of  men 
and  is  not  weary.  It  has  beheld  the  injustice 
and  oppression  of  men  and  is  not  cast  down. 
It  has  passed  over  degradation  and  foulness  and 
is  not  itself  defiled. 

The  day  has  moved  on  the  face  of  deep  waters 
and  brings  the  gleam  of  waves  and  the  fresh 
breeze  of  the  sea.  It  has  passed  over  vast 
forests  and  caught  the  fragrance  of  the  fir  tree 
and  the  morning  song  of  birds.  It  has  shone 
upon  the  wise  and  strong,  the  true  and  undefiled 
of  earth,  and  with  the  dawning  light  brings  the 
great  gift  of  hope. 

From  the  east  cometh  the  day. 


From  the  east  cometh  the  night.  It  follows  the 
day  as  a  shadow. 

All  that  the  pride  and  shame  of  man  hide  from 
the  day  is  known  to  the  night. 

The  moan  of  him  who  is  brave  and  silent  in 
the  Hght  is  heard  by  her  in  the  darkness,  and  the 


II 


QUESTS 

anguished  face  of  him  who  smiles  by  day  is 
sheltered  upon  her  deep  breast. 

The  wounds  and  sickness  of  man  are  open  to 
her  gaze,  and  the  temptation  and  secret  guilt 
of  man  she  covers. 

Still  is  the  night  not  over-burdened  nor  her 
mercy  consumed.  Continually  she  receives  the 
weary  and  the  troubled  soul. 

From  the  east  cometh  the  night. 


How  shall  one  know  the  night  if  he  ventures 
forth  only  in  the  day?  How  shall  one  become 
acquainted  with  darkness  if  he  dwells  contin- 
ually in  the  light  .^ 

The  day  is  the  gift  of  the  sun.  From  whence 
cometh  the  night  .^ 

Night,  thou  art  nearer  than  the  day.  With 
tenderness  thou  enfoldest  me  and  impartest  to 
me  thy  secret  thoughts. 

The  thoughts  of  the  day  are  simple  and  are 
known  unto  men;  thy  thoughts  are  mysterious 
and  great.     Thou  knowest  all  that  is  to  come. 

The  darkness  was  before  the  light  and  the 
night  before  the  day. 

The  day  is  but  a  moment  of  the  eternal  night. 
It  is  a  flower  upon  the  breast  of  darkness. 

The  white  flower  of  day  shall  fade  and  I  will 
lay  my  head  where  it  has  died,  upon  the  kind 
and  tender  breast  of  night. 


12 


QUESTS    OF    DAY    AND    NIGHT 


The  day  has  vanished.     I  will  stand  still  and 
let  the  night  flow  into  my  soul. 

I  will  not  flee  from  the  night;  I  will  not  hasten 
to  roofed  enclosures  and  bright  lights. 

My  soul  needs  the  night,  the  cool,  enfolding, 
unifying  night.  The  day  breaks  my  soul  in  a 
thousand  pieces;  they  lie  in  a  heap,  dusty  and 
dimmed  by  the  contacts  of  the  world.  Each 
fragment  has  a  separate  life  and  is  rebel  against 
the  whole.     There  is  no  leader;  there  is  no  rest. 

In  the  west  long  mountains  lie,  dusky,  purple- 
shadowed,  against  the  deepening  orange  of  the 
sky.  So  clear  the  air,  a  single  leaf,  upblown, 
might  show  its  etched  shape  athwart  the  flame. 
High  in  the  vault  red  Mars,  and  higher  still, 
Arcturus,  take  our  snug  earth  within  their  cog- 
nizance. 

Night  advances,  quenching  the  sunset's  fire, 
silencing  the  birds,  unlocking  scents  of  balsam 
and  of  fern.  A  flood  of  cool  air  flows  from  the 
wide  realm  of  mystery  beyond  the  east.  Dark- 
ness blots  out  form  and  color.     Night  has  come. 

I  will  not  flee.  I  will  stand  still  and  the  night 
will  flow  into  my  soul, — the  cool,  enfolding, 
unifying  night. 

I  WILL  descend  to  the  Valley  of  Sleep  which 
lies  between  the  hills  of  Evening  and  of 
Morning. 


13 


QUESTS 

I  will  cast  off  the  trappings  of  the  day,  for 
unclothed  in  body  and  mind  must  I  enter  the 
Valley  of  Sleep. 

The  cool  air  uprushes  from  the  dark  gulf  and 
extinguishes  the  torch  of  my  understanding 
which  I  would  fain  carry  with  me  to  light  the 
way.  Disarmed  in  body  and  mind  must  I  enter 
the  Valley  of  Sleep;  its  fastnesses  are  not  to  be 
taken  by  force  and  its  mysteries  are  not  open 
to  the  understanding. 

The  depth  of  the  Valley  of  Sleep  is  greater 
than  the  height  of  the  hills  of  Evening  and  of 
Morning.  It  is  greater  than  the  height  of  the 
Mount  of  Day;  no  man  knoweth  its  extent.  It 
is  deeper  than  the  foundations  of  the  world, 
and  the  mind  of  man  can  not  compass  it. 

Into  the  Valley  of  Sleep  enter  the  ten  thousand 
thousands  of  earth.  Still  is  its  space  not  filled 
nor  its  boundaries  strained.  No  man  is  in  the 
way  of  another;  there  is  room  for  the  solitude 
of  each. 

My  soul  journeys  farther  than  my  body  in  the 
Valley  of  Sleep.  Unafraid  it  ventures  into  the 
immensity  and  returns  with  no  tidings  of  its 
wanderings.  My  mind  drops  hints  of  its  fan- 
tasies and  dreams  as  it  ascends  the  Hill  of  Morn- 
ing, but  my  soul  keeps  its  own  counsel. 

I  depart  from  my  friends  and  journey  far 
from  my  habitation,  but  never  more  than  a  day*s 
journey  am  I  from  the  Valley  of  Sleep  which 
lies  between  the  hills  of  Evening  and  of  Morning. 


14 


QUESTS    OF    DAY   AND    NIGHT 


The  shadow  of  one  day  shall  not  fall  upon  another 
day. 

Between  them  is  the  gentle  night  which  divides 
the  days  and  shuts  the  door  that  yesterday  may 
not  pass  into  today. 

The  pain  of  yesterday  shall  not  enter  the 
domain  of  today  nor  the  sorrow  of  yesterday 
pass  its  boundaries. 

The  loss  of  yesterday  shall  not  darken  the 
new  day  nor  the  sin  of  yesterday  cloud  its  morn- 
ing. 

But  for  the  joy  of  yesterday  there  is  the  open 
door  and  the  gentle  night  gives  entrance  to  hope. 


At  night  I  was  weary  and  disheartened  for  I 
heard  men  say,  There  is  nothing  new  under  the 
sun,  and  we  spend  our  years  as  a  tale  that  is 
told. 

Other  voices  spoke  to  me  in  my  sleep,  and  I 
arose  to  a  day  as  new  as  the  first  day  of  the 
world. 

The  ancient  tale  of  life  was  rife  with  meaning 
and  its  last  word  was  one  of  hope. 


Long   shadows   lie   across   my   path.     They   are 
not  shadows  of  past  joys  and  sweet  companion- 


15 


QUESTS 

ships.  They  are  not  shadows  of  the  evening 
hour,  which  will  lengthen,  merge  in  darkness  and 
prevail. 

They  are  shadows  of  the  morning  and  fall 
westward.  The  dew  on  the  grass  glistens  in 
the  light  of  the  rising  sun  and  the  shadows  fade 
and  vanish  as  the  great  day  advances. 


I  LEANED  from  my  window  that  my  eyes  and 
my  soul  might  see  far  into  the  darkness  of  the 
night. 

I  saw  only  the  light  from  my  window  on  the 
dark  trees,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  light  the 
shadow  of  myself. 


I  AWOKE  this  morning  with  a  sweet  song  in  my 
heart.  I  could  not  understand  the  song  for  it 
was  a  song  of  joy,  and  there  was  no  joy  in  my 
life.  The  years  stretched  bleak  and  difficult 
before  me. 

As  I  listened  to  the  low  singing  I  knew  it  was 
the  lingering  music  of  the  hope  which  died  yes- 
terday in  my  heart. 


A  MULTITUDE   of  thoughts   rush  by   me  in   the 
darkness,    and    numberless    words    pass    swiftly, 

i6 


QUESTS    OF    DAY   AND    NIGHT 

leaving  no  trace.  I  am  cast  down,  and  sorrowful 
with  sense  of  loss. 

Then  am  I  spoken  to  from  the  silence: — Since 
the  beginning  of  the  world  have  thoughts  been 
born  and  words  multiplied.  As  the  leaves  of  a 
great  forest,  so  are  thoughts,  and  as  grains  of 
sand,  so  is  the  number  of  words. 

Thy  task  is  not  that  of  increasing  thoughts 
nor  of  multiplying  words.  Thy  thoughts  shall 
be  simple  and  thy  words  few.  Thou  shalt  see 
that  from  which  thoughts  spring  and  that  which 
giveth  rise  to  words. 

Regret  not  the  thoughts  that  vanish  and  the 
words  which  pass  swiftly.  Thou  shalt  see  that 
which  abides. 


Do  we  hunger  that  we  may  be  filled,  and  thirst 
that  our  thirst  may   be  quenched.'' 

Do  we  seek  that  we  may  find,  and  climb  that 
we  may  reach  the  height.?  Do  we  question  that 
we  may  be  answered,  and  strive  that  we  may 
attain  ? 

Is  the  goal  of  longing,  satisfaction,  and  of 
aspiration,  content.?  Is  the  end  of  prayer, 
reception,  and  of  love,  possession? 

A  thirst  that  is  quenched  is  a  dead  thirst,  and 
he  who  is  content  no  longer  aspires. 

Feed  me  with  hunger  and  satisfy  me  with 
longing. 


17 


QUESTS 


Make  not  an  end  of  striving  in  my  life.     Let 
not  love  and  hope  die  in  my  heart. 


Where  is  youth.''     Where  is  age.? 

Is  a  little  child  young,  and  the  rocky  face  of  a 
mountain,  old.-*  Is  a  wise  man  young,  and  the 
earth  upon  which  he  walks  of  great  age? 

The  Pyramids  are  more  ancient  than  the 
Pyrenees,  and  the  Parthenon  than  the  Rock  of 
Gibraltar.  Rome  was  before  the  Alps,  and  in 
the  presence  of  the  nations  of  the  world  Niagara 
is  as  the  rain  of  yesterday. 

The  dust  of  the  earth  has  come  but  a  little 
way  and  its  journey  is  within  imagined  time. 

The  spirit  of  man  has  come  from  a  great 
distance  and  been  long  on  the  way.  It  gained 
knowledge  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
and  wisdom  when  the  stars  were  yet  unborn. 

All  that  it  hath  is  not  now  manifest. 


The  concerns  of  man  are  not  the  only  concerns 
of  earth. 

There  are  the  concerns  of  the  crows,  moving 
with  harsh  cries  across  the  sky,  and  the  concerns 
of  the  thrushes  and  sparrows,  singing  among  the 
young  leaves. 


I8 


QUESTS    OF    DAY   AND    NIGHT 

There  Is  the  concern  of  the  spider,  drawing  her 
silk  threads  from  twig  to  twig,  and  the  concern 
of  the  moth  whose  span  of  Hfe  Is  but  a  day. 

There  are  the  concerns  of  tiny,  winged  crea- 
tures and  of  little  crawling  worms,  of  frogs  in 
the  pools  and  borers  In  the  trees,  of  swift,  small 
animals  and  of  great  creatures  of  stealth  and 
strength. 

There  Is  the  business  of  grass  and  tree,  fern 
and  moss,  mushroom  and  lichen,  and  under  all 
skies  the  beautiful  business  of  the  flowers. 

Among  men,  and  where  man  Is  not,  go  on 
the  concerns  of  the  other  creatures  of  the  world. 


The  moth  has  come  too  near  the  flame  and  lies 
quiet,   with    scorched   wings. 

It  is  a  little  thing — the  death  of  a  moth; 
merely  the  close  of  one  of  numberless  brief  lives. 
The  moth  will  not  be  missed  nor  its  death  noticed. 

It  is  a  strange  thing — the  death  of  a  moth. 
It  is  more  than  the  ending  of  a  few  hours'  life. 

The  moth  has  missed  Its  bridal,  and  a  stream 
of  life  from  a  past  more  far  than  man  can  reckon 
or  conceive,  has  ceased  to  flow. 

The  moth  lies  quiet,  with  scorched  wings, 
while  the  flame  burns  brightly. 


19 


QUESTS 


As  I  lie.  on  the  grass  a  little  creature  crawls 
upon  my  hand. 

It  is  so  small  and  weak  it  becomes  entangled 
among  the  hairs  of  my  hand.  The  hairs  are  as 
fallen  trees  impeding  its  progress. 

I  do  not  know  the  name  of  the  little  creature 
nor  its  destiny,  but  I  will  help  it  to  pass  the 
barriers. 

I  was  once  lost  in  a  great  wood  v/here  fallen 
trees  impeded  my  way. 


The  taste  of  the  day  is  bitter  in  my  mouth. 
The  walls  of  the  house  have  enclosed  me  and  the 
hands  of  my  spirit  were  not  able  to  reach  to  the 
outer  air. 

I  have  been  caught  on  the  wheel  of  tasks  which 
repeat  themselves  endlessly  for  each  generation, 
and  my  soul  was  not  for  an  instant  free  to  pursue 
the  way  which  turns  not  upon  itself,  but  moves 
ever  forward. 

The  day  is  as  one  that  is  lost. 

A  thing  so  small  as  a  hand  before  my  face 
hides  from  me  the  great  sun. 

A  thing  smaller  than  my  hand  hides  from  my 
spirit  the  great  light  of  life. 

How  may  I  escape  from  the  shadow  of  little 
things  ^ 


20 


QUESTS    OF    DAY   AND    NIGHT 

As  at  the  sound  of  a  clear-toned  bell  my  soul 
has  awakened  and  my  spirit  moves  swiftly. 

My  soul  is  not  hindered  nor  my  spirit  detained. 
They  are  not  bound  by  the  wheel  of  tasks  which 
repeat  themselves  endlessly,  but  are  free  to  pur- 
sue the  way  which  turns  not  upon  itself. 


Long  I  sent  messengers  of  fear  before  me.  Dread 
marked  the  path  and  apprehension  prepared  the 
way. 

According  to  the  messengers  I  sent  was  the 
path  which  I  traveled. 

One  day  hope  escaped  and  ran  before  me; 
confidence  followed,  and  the  expectation  of  great 
good. 

The  path  I  found  was  new  and  beautiful,  for 
according  to  the  messengers  I  sent  was  the  way 
I  was  to  travel. 

Before  me  go  now  winged  messengers  of  the 
spirit.  Far  in  advance  they  fly,  making  ready  the 
path.  Dim  shapes  of  fear  and  dread  are  slain  as 
they  pass,  and  for  apprehension  there  is  no  place. 

The  path  before  me  is  ever  new  and  beautiful, 
for  according  to  the  messengers  I  send  is  the  way 
which   I   travel. 


The   fields   of   earth   are   drenched   with   blood. 
They  will  be  fertile  in  coming  years  from  the 


21 


QUESTS 

sowing  of  human  flesh.  Peace  has  become  a 
memory,  and  the  sky  is  darkened  by  the  rising 
of  sad  thoughts. 

Will  the  spring  flowers  come  as  of  old,  when 
the  sky  was  clear  and  men  heard  not  the  roar 
of  battle.? 

The  spring  flowers  have  come.  They  have 
risen  as  delicate  fancies  in  a  mind  long  vexed  by 
grave  and  dreary  thoughts.  They  have  come  as 
tender  impulses  in  a  heart  long  filled  with  hatred 
and  violence. 

Their  faint  breath  is  stronger  than  the  smoke 
of  battle,  and  their  beauty  more  potent  than 
force  of  arms. 

War  to  the  flowers  of  spring  is  but  the  passing 
of  a  cloud  in  the  clear  sky  of  a  long  day. 


22 


II 

THE  QUEST  OF  NATURE 


THE  QUEST  OF  NATURE 


The  snowy  cloak  of  the  world  is  unclasped  and 
waits,  loosened  and  ready  to  fall  from  the  fields 
and  woods. 

The  south-sloping  hills  are  bare;  soon  the  warm 
tenderness  of  the  sun  will  have  wrought  in  them 
the  marvel  of  life,  and  blades  of  grass  and  folded 
leaves  of  buttercup  will  break  forth  from  the 
quickened  earth. 

The  buds  of  the  trees  cast  off  their  winter 
shields  and  give  their  young  hearts  to  the  sun. 
Long  have  they  waited  that  they  may  unfold 
to  bright  and  shimmering  leaves. 

Slowly  the  earth  yields  to  the  wooing  of  the 
returning  sun. 


The  earth  has  hidden  herself  from  her  lover. 
Again  is  she  covered  with  a  garment  of  white; 
she  denies  herself  to  the  sun. 

The  earth  is  cold.  A  strong,  fierce  wind  lifts 
the  snow  in  sheets  of  white  and  wavering  flame. 
Sprouting  grass  and  buttercup  are  covered  and 
the  buds  of  the  trees  shrink  from  the  icy  touch. 
Birds  hide  themselves  and  are  still. 

The  wind  withdraws  itself;  it  runs  along  far 
hills    and    sinks    in    silence.     The    sun    thrusts 


25 


QUESTS 

warm    rays    through   the   clouds    and    the   earth 
answers  with  a  smile. 

She   has    relented.     Her   heart   thrills.     From 
a  tall  tree  a  bluebird  sends  upward  its  soft  song. 


The  earth  is  bare.  She  has  no  defense  and  no 
hiding-place  from  the  sun;  glorious  is  her  yielding. 

Green  runs  over  her  fields  as  a  crimson  flush 
over  the  cheek  of  a  woman  whose  heart  is  stirred. 

By  warm  showers  is  the  earth  renewed.  The 
rain  is  as  quiet  weeping  which  leaves  the  heart 
tender  and  pure,  and  prepared  for  great  joy. 

Little  flowers  spring  up  as  thoughts  which  can 
not  be  repressed.  Where  snow  first  left  the  wood, 
hepaticas  push  upward  through  dead  leaves,  and 
where  the  sandy  hill-side  nears  the  stream, 
arbutus  hides  among  the  evergreens. 

The  blossoming  of  the  trees,  when  poplars 
hang  out  fringe  of  gray  and  maples  are  a  cloud 
of  red,  is  a  dawning  smile,  and  when  the  shining 
leaves  burst  forth  I  hear  the  first  soft  laughter 
of  the  earth. 


The  evergreens  have  not  awakened.  They  rest 
serene  in  pride  of  unshed  leaves  and  the  drowsi- 
ness of  autumn  lingers  in  their  branches. 


26 


THE    QUEST    OF    NATURE 

Arbutus  opens  at  their  foot  and  ferns  uncoil 
within  their  shadow.  Young  leaves  of  birch 
and  poplar  beckon,  and  tall  maples  flush  with  the 
joy  of  May. 

Still  are  the  evergreens  unmoved. 
Then  the  shad  bush  lays  its  thin  leaves  and 
fair  white  flowers  against  the  pine's  dark  cloud, 
and  the  pine  wakes  at  the  caress.  Its  pale 
shoots  rise  toward  the  sky,  and  all  the  hemlocks 
and  the  firs  are  tipped  with  tender  green. 


The  willow  with  tassels  of  gold,  soft  and  fra- 
grant, the  willow  with  tassels  of  silver-green,  stiff 
and  sweet, — they  dwell  apart. 

The  width  of  a  road  divides  them,  and  the 
dense  greenness  of  a  fir  hides  each  from  the  other's 
sight. 

My  lord  willow  with  the  golden  blossoms,  my 
lady  willow  with  sweet  maiden  flowers — I  would 
know  the  bond  uniting  you. 

Rooted  in  earth,  the  utmost  reaching  of  your 
lithe  boughs  vain,  is  each  yet  conscious  of  the 
other  as  you  are  not  of  maple  and  of  fir.'' 

Where  is  your  love,  my  lord.^  Diffused 
through  root  and  branch,  and  ungrown,  folded 
leaves, — or  in  each  tiny  flower.^  Is  it  one 
message  or  a  hundred  that  the  bee,  laden  with 
pollen,  bears  to  the  bush  beyond  the  fir.^ 


27 


QUESTS 


My  lady  willow,  where  is  hidden  your  love? 
When  the  bee  alights  upon  your  tasseled  boughs, 
are  there  a  hundred  hearts,  or  one,  whose  longings 
still  at  the  soft  touch  of  love? 


As  a  troop  of  dancers  in  fluttering  robes  of  green, 
come  the  leaves. 

They  throng  the  wood  and  sweep  through  the 
valley;  they  climb  the  hills  and  crowd  upon  the 
winding  road. 

Their  garments  glisten  in  the  sun  and  they 
lightly  sway  to  music  which  I  can  not  hear. 

They  hide  the  branches  of  the  trees  and  close 
the  windows  of  the  forest  that  I  may  not  see 
within. 

I  enter  the  forest  and  all  the  paths  are  cur- 
tained and  all  the  vistas  veiled  with  fresh  and 
tremulous  leaves. 


Marvelous  and  to  be  praised  are  the  stars  in 
the  night  sky.  The  span  of  their  life  is  in  un- 
reckoned  time  and  the  goal  to  which  they  move 
out-distances  man's  thought. 

More  marvelous  are  the  leaves  of  a  tree  which 
come  each  spring  from  tiny  folded  buds. 

A  thousand  and  a  thousand  forms  of  green, 
woven  of  tissue  that  no  man  can  make;  thin, 
serrate-edged,    patterned    unerringly,    living    for 


28 


THE    QUEST    OF    NATURE 

beauty  and  as  playthings  for  the  wind,  yet  toll- 
ing all  their  short  lives  through  that  they  may 
add  their  tribute  to  the  great  tree's  growth, 
dying  in  beauty  and  in  glory  that  they  have  not 
known, — 

I  praise  the  marvel  and  the  mystery  of  leaves. 


Where  have  been  hidden  the  shape  of  the  ferns 
and  the  pattern  of  the  leaves?  Where  were 
stored  the  plan  of  the  columbine  and  the  color 
of  the  rose? 

Birds  return  from  the  south,  but  the  flowers 
are  born  each  year.  The  green  of  the  trees  runs 
into  molds  I  can  not  see,  and  the  whiteness  of 
the  anemone  gathers  in  pure  stars. 

Is  the  pattern  of  a  fern  in  Its  root,  and  the 
tint  of  a  flower  in  Its  seed? 

The  earth  has  held  each  in  remembrance,  and 
spring  awakens  her  thoughts. 


How  many  springs  have  the  trees  sent  out  their 
leaves?  How  many  springs  has  the  wind-flower 
unfolded  its  whiteness  in  the  wood,  and  the  fern 
broken  earth  with  its  coiled  fronds? 

In  those  countless  springs  before  man  watched, 
were  the  edges  of  the  leaves  as  finely  cut?  Were 
the  petals  of  the  flower  as  purely  white?  Did 
ferns  uncoil  their  fronds  with  such  slow  grace? 


29 


QUESTS 

Before  eyes  saw  did  Nature  work  with  tool 
as  delicate  and  art  as  fine? 

Was  there  no  slighting  in  the  finish  of  a  leaf 
or  tinting  of  a  flower,  before  man  came? 


The  wood  is  a  mist  of  green  starred  with  white 
flowers. 

From  sunny  hollows  nods  the  crimson  trillium, 
and  in  wide,  vivid  beds,  the  little  oak  fern  lifts 
its  tender  fronds. 

A  presence  passes  in  the  undergrowth,  but 
turn  as  swiftly  as  I  may  I  see  only  the  innocent, 
wise  faces  of  the  flowers  and  feel  the  glad  tremor 
in  the  enlightened  air. 


Have  the  birds  set  a  watch  for  the  dawn? 

When  the  blackness  of  night  fades  and  mist 
whitens  in  the  long  valley,  a  little  voice  breaks 
the  silence. 

It  has  awakened  a  robin.  It  has  awakened  a 
sparrow.     The  hermit  thrush  has  heard. 

One  by  one  the  birds  slip  into  a  sea  of  song 
which  rolls  in  sparkling  waves  above  the  damp 
and  silent  earth. 

The  risen  sun  dispels  the  mist  in  the  long  valley, 
and  quiets  the  sea  of  song  in  field  and  wood. 


30 


THE    QUEST    OF    NATURE 


Fragments  of  mist  float  away,  and  scattered 
songs  are  heard  as  waves  of  a  receding  ocean 
which  break  on  far,  out-lying  rocks. 


How  long  has  been  thy  journey,  little  twin- 
flower,  and  from  whence? 

By  what  strange,  devious  pathway  hast  thou 
reached  this  mossy  bed  where  field  and  forest 
meet  ? 

Thy  green  vines  lie  at  ease,  and  thy  paired, 
rosy  flowers  are  lifted  with  the  careless  grace  of 
those  who  long  have  dwelt  upon  the  land. 

When  this  thy  home  was  buried  deep  be- 
neath the  field  of  ice,  where  wert  thou .?  When  the 
glacier  passed,  didst  thou  then  come,  a  traveler 
from  the  south  .^ 

And  what  wert  thou  before  flowers  dwelt  on 
earth.?  Did  thy  sweet  scent  and  dainty  beauty 
lie  imprisoned  in  some  lowly  form  in  that  far 
time.'' 

Has  thy  fair  spirit  kept,  undoubtingly,  through 
all  the  unreckoned  time,  a  vision  of  this  end.? 


Are  the  trees  disquieted  and  full  of  fear  when 
the  wind  lifts  to  view  the  under-surfaces  of  their 
leaves .? 

The  wind  moves  among  the  trees  as  the  waters 
of  an  invisible  stream.     The  branches  gently  rise 


31 


QUESTS 

and  fall  upon  long,  slow  waves;  they  bend  near 
to  breaking  in  a  swift  current.  The  waters  of 
the  wind  play  with  a  single  leaf  of  a  full  tree  and 
tease  not  the  others. 

The  stream  eddies  among  the  trees  and  they 
sway  to  right  and  left.  They  return  to  their 
place  and  are  caught  again  in  the  current.  Little 
waves  run  over  the  tree-tops  and  lose  themselves 
in  quietness. 

With  strength  and  swiftness  the  stream  flows 
from  the  north.  It  passes  as  a  flood  over  the 
trees  and  they  bend  low  under  its  flowing.  They 
can  not  lift  themselves  till  it  is  past. 

The  moon  rises  and  the  stream  broadens  to  a 
quiet  lake.     The  trees   are   still. 


I  DESCEND  from  sunny  hills  to  the  dusky 
swamp. 

The  air  is  moist,  and  heavy  with  the  fra- 
grance of  deep  moss  and  fern. 

In  the  green  pool  a  wide-mouthed  frog  with 
bronze-rimmed  eyes,  sits  on  a  slimy  log  and  waits 
for  flies.     A  turtle  slips  beneath  the  scum. 

They  are  primal  things  lingering  on  the  earth. 

Alders  crowd  upon  the  pool,  and  when  rain 
is  withheld  the  ground  creeps  outward. 

When  the  pool  shall  at  last  be  filled  with  the 
alder  and  the  spruce,  will  the  primal  things 
vanish  from  the  earth  .^ 


32 


THE    QUEST    OF    NATURE 


The  sun  as  it  nears  the  western  mountains, 
sinks  in  a  sea  of  rippled  white.  The  day  darkens 
and  the  air  grows  chill.  A  bird  begins  its  even 
song. 

The  white  sea  widens  and  overspreads  the 
western  sky.  Will  the  sun  emerge  and  once 
more  touch  the  earth  ? 

The  sea  of  cloud  passes  and  the  sun,  low  as  the 
mountain  peaks,  remembers  the  earth.  Little 
pools  gleam,  and  blades  of  grass  glisten  in  the 
golden  light. 

Eastward-falling  shadows  have  grown  longer 
and  the  day  is  near  its  close. 

The  sea  of  rippled  white  has  reached  the  east 
and  covers  the  full  moon.  Will  the  moon  emerge 
and  once  more  touch  the  earth? 


The  sky  is  deep  and  clear;  but  for  the  noon-day 
sun  I  could  see  a  multitude  of  stars. 

The  wind  brings  from  sun-warmed  fields  the 
sweetness  of  clover  and  the  fragrance  of  wild 
berries  and  of  ripening  grass. 

A  bobolink  flies  low  and  scatters  liquid  notes 
above  the  waving  grain. " 

When  the  wind  is  still  and  a  white  cloud  veils 
the  sun,  I  hear  in  far  woods  the  thrush's  hermit 
song. 


33 


QUESTS 


Gray  dust  lies  soft  and  deep  upon  the  winding 
road,  and  whitens  the  fresh  green  of  wayside 
shrubs. 

Heat  hovers  over  parching  fields,  and  the  thin 
leaves  of  the  jewel-weed  droop  wan  and  pale 
beneath  the  sun's  long  look. 

The  shadow  of  the  wood  comes  forth  to  meet 
me  and  I  am  drawn  within  the  shelter  of  dark 
trees. 

The  wood  Is  cool  and  merciful.  Long  fronds 
of  fragrant  fern  that  have  not  known  the  sun's 
warm  gaze,  bend  above  moist,  mossed  rocks, 
and  from  the  mire  wild  callas  lift  their  snowy 
spathes  among  broad,  shining  leaves. 

Within  the  wood  is  kept  alive  the  memory 
of  rain,  till  rain  shall  come. 


The  rain  ceased  and  the  wind  died.  The  song 
of  the  cricket  filled  the  silence  as  if  It  had  not 
ceased  through  the  wind  and  the  rain.  It 
was  the  voice  of  silence. 

I  sought  the  cricket  to  learn  the  secret  of  its 
song.  My  scalpel  and  microscope  revealed  only 
the  file  and  saw  of  its  wing-covers;  they  did  not 
disclose  the  secret  of  the  cricket's  song. 

The  wild  orchid  opened  its  fringed  and  purple 
blossom  by  the  roadside  and  gave  to  me  its 
mysterious  fragrance.     In  return  I  rent  its  beauty 


34 


THE    QUEST    OF    NATURE 

that  I  might  discern  the  secret  of  Its  charm.  In 
my  hands  remained  but  torn  and  blackened 
tissue,  and  the  fragrance  had  fled. 

Then  a  Voice  salth:  The  secret  of  anything 
Is  not  within  Itself.  Continue  thy  search  until 
the  smallest  atoms  are  open  to  thy  view,  yet 
shalt  thou  be  as  one  who  gazes  Into  an  empty 
chamber  whose  occupant  has  awakened  and 
fled.  The  secret  of  the  sunbeam  Is  In  the  sun, 
and  the  secret  of  the  wave  Is  In  the  ocean  and 
the  wind.  The  secrets  of  the  cricket  and  of  the  or- 
chid are  not  within  themselves.    They  are  beyond. 

I  asked:  Where  shall  I  search.?  The  Voice 
was  silent.  Then  I  wondered.  Where  Is  the 
secret  of  man  If  It  Is  not  within  himself: 


The  rising  tide  of  life  breaks  upon  earth  In  waves 
of  green  crested  with  foam  of  flowers. 

There  Is  no  pause  In  the  beating  of  waves 
upon  the  shore  of  earth.  The  tide  mounts 
higher,  and  I  wonder,  When  will  the  spring  cease 
Its  coming  that  the  summer  may  appear? 

There  Is  a  day  when  a  wave  breaks  farther 
from  my  feet  and  the  brightness  of  its  crest  is 
dulled.     The  tide  has  turned. 

In  a  moment  that  I  did  not  know,  the  summer 
passed. 

If  I  fear  the  night  I  miss  the  secrets  of  the  night. 
I  will  go  out  quietly  In  the  darkness. 


35 


QUESTS 

The  clouds  are  heavy  and  have  hidden  the 
stars.  A  bat  shps  past;  an  owl  flies  low  and 
silently  on  heavy  wings. 

The  black  leaves  stir  in  winds  I  can  not  feel, 
and  little  unseen  creatures  leave  the  path  at  my 
approach. 

A  pale  moth  seeks  a  white  and  fragrant  flower, 
and  tiny  insects  spin  fine,  humming  threads  of 
song. 

I  hush  my  thoughts  to  hear  the  whisper  of 
the  bending  trees. 


I  SEEK  the  secrets  of  another  night. 

There  is  no  cloud  and  all  the  star-hung  space 
above  the  world  is  unobscured.  The  earth's  deep 
silence  merges  in  the  deeper  silence  of  the  stars. 

Far  in  the  north  a  great  light  pales  and  flames, 
as  if  a  strange  new  sun  were  forming  from  the 
chaos  of  the  sky.  The  great  light  shifts  and 
wavers  as  a  melody  on  strings  of  vast  and  sound- 
less harps. 

The  silence  and  the  cold  intensify;  there  is  a 
moment  when  the  tide  of  life  in  tender  plants  is 
checked. 

Morning  will  find  the  meadow  white  with  frost. 


As    messengers    of    grave    import    In    a    joyous 
assemblage,  hiding  their  tidings  until  the  revel 

36 


THE    QUEST    OF    NATURE 

is  past,  SO  are  the  asters  and  the  golden-rod 
among  the  flowers  of  spring. 

Men's  eyes  are  concerned  with  the  wind- 
flower  and  the  violet.  They  do  not  see,  beyond 
their  delicate,  fair  beauty,  the  stout  and  stable 
stalks  of  those  that  wait. 

The  spring  blossoms  wither  and  are  gone. 
The  flowers  of  summer  unfold  and  fold  again 
in  fruit.  The  brightness  of  tree  and  grass  grows 
dim. 

Then,  on  banners  of  gold  and  purple,  the 
tidings  of  the  messengers  flame  forth,  and  men 
read    their   meaning. 


Into  the  waters  of  night  are  poured,  from  vials 
of  bright  light,  the  waters  of  the  day. 

The  waters  of  night  and  day  are  mingled  until 
the  darkness  is  submerged  in  light. 

Above  the  western  mountains  grows  a  sky  of 
tender  blue,  flecked  with  the  pink  of  morning  cloud. 

It  is  a  sky  of  spring  and  underneath  I  look  for 
the  green  of  fresh,  young  forest  leaves. 

I  see,  amid  dark  firs,  the  orange-scarlet  ol  the 
maple,  and  the  amber-purple  touched  with  crimson 
of  the  ash. 


It  is  midday  but  there  is  no   sun.     The  clouds 
are  heavy  and  autumn  rain  is  faUing. 


37 


QUESTS 

Into  the  dusk  of  my  room  a  light  shines.  It 
is  the  light  of  an  ash  tree  which  stands  just  with- 
out. With  the  paling  green  of  its  leaves  gold 
and  amber  are  mingled. 

The  light  of  the  tree  is  fainter  than  moonlight 
and  softer  than  the  light  of  stars.  It  pierces 
with  the  sharpness  of  a  sword  and  envelops  me 
with  the  tenderness  of  a  cloud. 

It  is  the  light  of  the  spirit  of  the  tree  which 
comes  to  me  through  the  autumn  rain. 


It  is  the  hour  of  sunset,  but  there  is  no  bright- 
ness in  the  sky.  Across  the  pall  of  gray,  clouds 
of  darker  gray  are  drifting. 

As  I  sit  by  the  fire  a  sudden  glow  is  in  the 
room.  From  the  window  I  can  see  no  break 
in  the  dull  sky;  the  glow  is  from  far  beyond. 
It  penetrates  the  heavy  clouds  and  lights  them 
as  with  the  memory  of  past  sunsets.  It  is  as  a 
brief  return  to  dying  eyes  of  the  life  that  has  been. 

The  moment  passes.  I  think  I  have  dreamed 
of  the  light  so  dark  are  the  clouds. 

The  sun  has  set. 


The  clouds  were  heavy  and  the  rain  fell  many 
days.  When  the  sun  shone  out  men  said.  How 
heavy  have  been  the  clouds  and  how  long  the 
rain. 


38 


THE    QUEST   OF    NATURE 


I  said,  Hear  the  roar  of  the  full  streams  as 
they  carry  the  water  to  the  sea. 


The  glory  of  the  leaves  Is  brought  to  earth. 

The  gold  of  elm,  the  shining  brown  of  beech, 
the  orange-scarlet  of  the  maple,  and  the  amber- 
purple  of  the  ash,  are  all  laid  low. 

Loosened  by  frost,  flung  high  by  winds  as 
bright  birds  on  the  tides  of  air,  dropped  slowly 
through  the  warm,  still  days,  descending  in 
swift  clouds  when  helped  by  rain,  they  reach  at 
last  their  resting-place,  merging  their  separate 
lives  in  drifts  of  somber  brown. 

Above  the  drifted  leaves  flit  passing  birds, 
their  thin  and  silvery  notes  faint  echoes  of  their 
joyous  songs  of  spring. 


It  is  late  October;  the  aisles  of  the  forest  are  open 
to  my  sight  and  between  the  naked  boughs  I 
see  the  sky. 

The  forest  is  a  house  from  which  the  dwellers 
have  fled,  leaving  open  the  doors  that  the  passer- 
by may  look  within. 

Men  say,  The  beauty  of  the  forest  has  vanished 
and  its  secrets  are  told;  let  us  go  away. 

I  go  with  them  a  little  distance  and  return 
alone.  The  forest  is  cool  and  silent;  above  the 
fallen  leaves  the  greenness  of  a  hardy  fern  per- 


39 


QUESTS 

sists.  A  pale  moth  flutters  in  the  chill  air  and 
vanishes,  uncertain  of  its  fate. 

Where  is  the  beauty  of  the  forest  which  has 
departed  but  shall  return? 

What  are  its  secrets  that  have  been  told  yet 
remain  undisclosed? 


The  full  moon  is  rising  above  the  woods  beyond 
the  swamp.  It  is  a  vast,  pale  eye  overlooking 
the  world. 

The  moon  looks  upon  the  bare  branches  of 
the  maples  and  upon  the  dark  twigs  and  white 
trunks  of  the  birches.  It  shines  upon  the  myriad 
yellow  needles  of  the  tamaracks  and  upon  the 
aged  pines. 

The  pale,  cold  eye  looks  into  the  swamp  where 
have  blossomed  the  rosy  lady's  slipper  and  the 
fragrant  orchid  of  the  bog,  where  the  iris  un- 
folded its  blue  petals  and  the  cotton  grass  shook 
out  its  white  tufts. 

The  cold  eye  sees  only  the  covering  of  brown 
and  gray  beneath  which  the  swamp  sleeps  with 
its  store  of  dreams. 


Thou  preparest  the  world  for  Thy  snow. 

The  flowers  are  done  with  blooming  and  their 
seeds  await  the  winds  of  winter  to  scatter  them 


40 


THE    QUEST    OF    NATURE 

abroad.  The  leaves  have  finished  their  work  and 
lie  brown  and  sodden  upon  the  faded  grass. 

The  cricket  has  ceased  its  chirping  and  the 
frog  has  buried  itself  in  the  mud  of  the  pool. 
The  eggs  of  the  butterfly  are  laid  and  the  spider 
has  spun  for  herself  a  shelter. 

Thou  hast  banished  the  birds  and  given  rest 
to  the  trees,  and  above  Thy  finished  task  of  the 
year  Thou  wilt  lay  a  covering  of  white. 


I  LEFT  the  shelter  and  comfort  of  my  house  and 
went  out  to  meet  the  November  day. 

The  breath  of  the  day  was  from  the  south 
but  there  was  in  it  no  warmth  or  tenderness. 
The  eyes  of  the  day  were  heavy  with  a  grief  which 
finds  no  relief.  The  heart  of  the  day  was  cold 
with  a  woe  which  bears  no  fruit  save  bitterness 
and  desolation. 

The  mood  of  the  day  possessed  me  and  I 
walked  with  bent  head  and  unheeding  eyes. 

I  had  gone  far  when  I  felt  upon  my  garments 
light  touches  as  of  gentle  fingers.  The  breath  of 
the  day  was  warm  and  quiet  about  me  and  the 
woe  of  its  heart  had  lightened. 

From  the  eyes  of  the  day  were  falling  pure 
and  beautiful  tears  which  whitened  the  ground 
and  the  trees. 


41 


QUESTS 


There  are  many  graves  by  the  roadside  as  I 
pass,  and  hands  I  can  not  see  are  busy  covering 
the  dead. 

The  clods  which  fill  the  graves  are  light  and 
white,  and  their  fall  is  with  gentleness  and  peace. 

There  is  no  sorrow  in  my  heart  for  the  myriad 
dead,  and  no  horror  of  those  brown  and  withered 
forms. 

I  lift  one  in  my  hand.  It  is  the  body  of  a 
fern  from  which  the  greenness  has  passed  away. 
I  lay  it  with  its  fellows  that  the  invisible  hands 
may  hide  it  from  sight. 


I  AM  alone  in  the  cloister  of  the  falling  snow. 

The  walls  that  encompass  me  are  miles  in 
thickness,  and  though  the  roof  touches  my  head 
it  reaches  to  the  clouds. 

I  am  shut  in  from  cities  and  from  towns, 
from  houses  and  from  temples.  I  am  separated 
from  every  living  thing,  from  bird  and  animal 
and  human  kind.  The  sun  and  the  moon  and 
stars  I  can  not  see. 

There  is  no  door  nor  window  and  no  opening 
to  the  sky.  The  walls  scarce  give  me  space  to 
stand;  they  press  softly  against  my  body.  The 
beams  of  the  roof  rest  upon  my  head  and  when 
I  bow  in  prayer  they  descend  upon  me. 

I  am  alone  in  the  cloister  of  the  falling  snow. 


42 


THE    QUEST    OF    NATURE 


In  the  fresh,  light-lying  snow  are  many  trails. 

There  are  trails  that  end  at  the  foot  of  trees 
and  trails  that  stop  at  the  great  rocks.  Some 
lead  to  the  woods  and  some  are  lost  to  sight  in 
the  wide  fields. 

There  are  tiny  trails  entering  tunnels  in  the 
snow  and  short  trails  that  are  as  if  dropped  from 
the  clouds. 

Wise  folk  know  the  trail  of  the  fox  and  of 
the  hare,  of  the  squirrel  and  the  mouse. 

I  know  they  are  the  tracks  of  beautiful,  wild 
creatures  who  share  the  earth  with  men. 


\ 

The  whiteness  of  ivory  and  of  marble,  the 
whiteness  of  a  pearl  and  the  whiteness  of  a  cloud 
are  not  as  the  whiteness  of  snow. 

Purer  than  all  other  purity,  whiter  than  all 
other  whiteness,  it  rests  upon  the  breadth  of  the 
fields  and  the  slope  of  the  hills,  and  the  utmost 
shining  of  the  sun  avails  not  against  it. 

From  the  tiny  flakes  are  flung  upward  a  million 
mocking  glances  at  the  impotent  sun. 

In  the  curve  of  a  drift  the  light  is  cold  and  blue, 
but  when  the  sun  is  sinking  and  shines  with 
level,  kindly  rays,  the  curve  of  the  drift  is  aglow 
with  warm  and  golden  light. 


43 


QUESTS 


Noon,  and  a  high,  far  sky  of  dazzling  blue  above 
a  world  of  dazzling  white. 

Earth  has  no  refuge  and  no  hiding-place  from 
the  vast  space,  the  deepening  cold,  the  pitiless 
scrutiny  of  the  sun. 

I  turn  and  on  the  whiteness  of  a  western  hill 
I  see  the  shadow  of  a  cloud,  a  near  and  tender, 
soft  and  gentle  cloud. 

The  shadow  on  the  western  hill  is  as  the 
shadow  of  a  living  and  a  gracious  hand  in  the 
impersonal,   unfeeling,   and  unbounded   space. 


The  sun  has  left  the  valley  and  rests  with  kind 
radiance  upon  the  snowy  hill-tops. 

In  the  valley  the  blue  light  deepens  and  the 
shadows  of  the  trees  are  lost  in  the  shadow  of 
the  hills. 

The  cold,  dark  brook  moves  swiftly  between 
ice-bordered  banks,  coating  the  bending  twigs 
with  its  frozen  breath. 

Above  the  quick-flowing  waters  alders  have 
hung  their  brown  jewels,  but  the  stream  hastens 
on,  unheeding  their  enticement. 

Black  spruce  and  pine  are  in  the  clear  blue 
north,  and  delicate  twigs  of  leafless  trees  are 
etched  against  the  glowing  western  sky. 


44 


THE    QUEST    OF    NATURE 


In  the  deep  vault  above,  Orion  and  great 
Sirius  wait  the  sun's  going  to  glorify  the  winter 
night. 


The  winter  night  is  cold  and  still.  Long  shad- 
ows of  the  trees  rest  on  the  moon-whitened  earth 
and  a  thousand  little  twinkling  lights  flash  up- 
ward from  the  snow. 

As  I  move  forward  the  thousand  lights  go 
out  and  a  thousand  more  flash  forth. 

The  twinkling  lights  are  a  thousand  messages 
from  the  absent  sun  sent  by  way  of  the  moon. 


In   the  winter  wind   are  many   voices. 

There  is  the  soft  sigh  of  weariness,  the  fitful 
sigh  of  restlessness,  and  the  long  sigh  of  the 
grief-stricken  whose  tears  are  past. 

There  is  the  low  moan  of  pain  and  the  shriek 
of  agony;  the  dreary  cry  of  the  heart-broken  and 
the  wild  cry  of  him  whose  reason  is  fled.  There  is 
the  laughter  of  the  scornful  and  the  mockery 
of  those  who  deride.  There  is  the  wail  of  a  hurt 
child  and  the  wail  of  a  woman  in  travail. 

In  the  winter  wind  are  the  voices  of  all  cruel- 
ties and  all  pain,  of  all  losses  and  all  sorrow. 

When  the  fierce  gale  comes  from  the  north, 
the  sighing  and  the  moaning,  the  shrieking  and 


45 


QUESTS 

the  wailing  cease  before  the  strong  and  mighty- 
breath  of  the  Lord. 


What  moment  do  the  dreams  of  sleeping  things 
turn  from  the  summer  past,  to  that  which  is  to 
come  ? 

When  the  wind  is  warm  and  the  sun  shines 
from  high  in  the  heavens,  is  it  known  beneath 
the  snow? 

There  is  no  sign.  The  wood  is  silent.  Bending 
low  I  hear  no  sound  and  feel  no  breath. 

When  do  the  dreams  of  sleeping  creatures 
turn  toward  spring? 


46 


Ill 

THE  QUEST  OF  LOVE 


THE  QUEST  OF  LOVE 


If  one  says,  I  will  seek  Truth,  shall  he  turn  back? 

If  the  path  leads  where  he  has  not  foreseen, 
shall  he  be  confounded?  If  there  Is  danger,  shall 
he  cower?     If  there  Is  darkness,  shall  he  be  afraid? 

If  men  cry,  Not  there,  not  there,  shall  he  re- 
trace his  way  ?  If  that  which  was  new  and  beauti- 
ful yesterday  shall  today  be  old  and  unlovely, 
shall  he  desist? 

If  he  is  led  where  he  does  not  desire,  shall  he 
be  dismayed? 

If  the  goal  is  ever  afar  off,  shall  he  cease  from 
seeking? 


I  WILL  not  turn  aside  from  the  path  that  leads 
to  my  beloved.  I  will  not  heed  the  voices 
bidding  me  linger  and  seek  other  paths. 

Fair  are  these  paths;  they  offer  beauty  of 
flower  and  solace  of  shade.  They  are  not  devious. 
They  lead  not  In  steep  ways  where  the  limbs 
weary  and  the  brain  grows  dizzy. 

The  goal  of  these  paths  Is  soon  reached.  I 
would  go  farther  than  their  ending.  My  strength 
is  greater  than  their  distance  and  my  hope  wider 
than  their  opportunity. 


49 


QUESTS 

My  strength  wanes,  but  renews  itself.  My 
hope  dims,  but  it  flames  again.  My  strength 
does  not  lose  itself  in  weakness  nor  my  hope  in 
disappointment. 

My  strength  and  my  hope  are  boundless.  I 
have  chosen  a  path  worthy  of  their  use. 


What  is  the  union  of  love? 

I  desire  thy  body  only  that  I  may  possess  thy 
spirit. 

I  desire  thy  spirit  only  that  I  may  possess  the 
infinite  Spirit. 

The  desire  of  every  creature  is  toward  the 
Eternal. 


All  things  were  in  my  soul,  but  I  could  not  find 
them.  The  burden  of  unfound  things  was  heavy, 
and  keen  the  hunger  for  the  unknown. 

I  traveled  the  road  of  thought  as  far  as  men 
had  gone.  By  the  roadside  lay  the  treasures 
they  had  found  but  they  were  not  my  treasures. 
I  took  a  step  farther  on  the  road  of  thought;  I 
strained  the  eyes  of  my  soul  beyond  the  eyes  of 
my  mind.  But  that  which  I  sought  was  not 
revealed   unto   me. 

I  sought  wise  teachers  and  sat  at  the  feet 
of    sages.     I    studied    the    great    books    of    the 


50 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 

world  and  passed  through  the  laboratories  of 
science.  I  inquired  of  the  rock  and  the  lichen, 
and  interrogated  the  wild  creatures  of  earth  and 
air.  I  opened  my  mind  to  the  stars  and  my  soul 
to  invisible  wisdom. 

Still  was  the  burden  of  unfound  things  heavy 
and  keen  the  hunger  for  the  unknown. 

Then  Love  came  and  we  ran  through  the  fields 
like  two  children.  The  flowers  held  out  their 
secrets  to  us  as  we  passed  and  at  night  the  stars 
divulged  their  mysteries.  The  history  of  the 
world  was  disclosed  to  me  and  the  book  of  life 
lay  open  to  my  gaze. 

The  burden  of  the  unfound  was  lifted  and 
the  darkness  of  the  unknown  was  filled  with 
promise. 


The  measure  of  my  love  is  the  measure  of  my 
strength.  So  far  as  I  love,  so  far  am  I  strong,  for 
love  overcomes  weakness. 

The  measure  of  my  love  is  the  measure  of 
my  Hght.  So  far  as  my  love  extends  so  far  have 
I  light,  for  love  banishes  darkness. 

The  measure  of  my  love  is  the  measure  of 
my  power.  So  far  as  I  love  so  far  am  I  powerful, 
for  nothing  can  withstand  love. 

The  measure  of  my  love  is  the  measure  of 
my  hope.  So  far  as  I  love  so  far  do  I  hope,  for 
love  discovers  the  secret  grounds  of  hope. 


51 


QUESTS 

The  measure  of  my  love  Is  the  measure  of 
my  liberty.  So  far  as  I  love  so  far  am  I  free, 
for  love  knows  no  bonds  and  freedom  follows 
close  in  her  footsteps. 


Sleep  kept  far  from  me  and  I  stole  out  in  the 
darkness  that  I  might  be  near  my  beloved. 

I  passed  through  the  shadowy  trees  until 
the  light  from  her  window  shone  upon  me.  I 
did  not  knock  at  her  door.  I  was  fearful  of 
her  displeasure,  for  she  does  not  long  for  me, 
and  my  love  is  greater  than  hers. 

In  the  light  of  her  window  I  stood  until  her 
shadow  darkened  the  light.  The  shadow  of 
my  love  quieted  my  heart. 

I  traveled  the  dusty  road  and  saw  in  the 
dust  the  footprints  of  my  beloved.  I  might 
not  walk  beside  her,  but  in  the  sand  of  the  road 
I  left  my  footprints  where  her  feet  had  passed. 

A  Voice  saith  unto  me:  Why  seekest  thou 
the  light  of  a  single  window,  which  shineth  but 
for  an  hour  and  is  then  put  out.'*  Why  cherishest 
thou  the  shadow  of  one  who  will  shortly  vanish, 
leaving  no  shadow.?  Why  followest  thou  foot- 
prints in  the  dust  which  the  wind  and  rain  will 
destroy  .f* 

Behold,  if  thou  seekest  Me  thou  shalt  have 
light  which  never  goeth  out,  and  My  shadow 
will  be  ever  upon  thee.     My  footprints  the  rain 


52 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 


and  wind  will  not  hide.     They  shall  be  before 
thee  wherever  thou  goest. 

My  heart  was  set  upon  my  love  and  the  Voice 
grew  faint. 


I  WILL  bathe  my  body,  not  with  stagnant  water 
from  the  bowl,  but  with  living  water  from  the 
ever-moving  stream  which  renews  itself  at  each 
instant. 

Thus  shall  no  foulness  retouch  my  body.  The 
foulness  shall  flow  onward  and  lose  itself.  It  shall 
not  be  seen  or  felt. 

Only  the  water  which  is  fresh  and  clear  shall 
touch  my  flesh. 

No  stain  of  yesterday's  garments  shall  be 
upon  me.  I  will  clothe  my  body  with  the  fresh 
garments  of  today. 

The  swathings  and  wrappings  of  yesterday 
shall  be  left  behind;  they  shall  no  more  protect 
or  encumber  me. 

There  shall  be  for  the  new  day  clothing  of 
white  linen  and  of  fine  silk  fresh  from  the  loom. 
The  smell  of  the  flax  and  of  the  mulberry  shall 
be  upon  it.  In  Its  texture  will  be  the  lightness 
of  the  breeze  and  the  warmth  of  the  sun.  The 
softness  of  summer  rain  will  dwell  In  its  meshes 
and  the  light  of  stars  and  the  strength  of  the 
earth  be  woven  with  its  threads. 


S3 


QUESTS 


The  water  of  my  bath  shall  be  fresh  and  the 
cloth  of  my  garments  new  when  I  make  ready  to 
seek  my  beloved. 


I  SAID,  My  beloved  is  far  from  me.  More  than 
the  distance  of  a  world  divides  us  and  in  a  life- 
time I  may  not  find  her. 

Then  is  my  beloved  beside  me.  The  benignity 
and  calm  of  her  presence  are  upon  me. 

I  turn  that  I  may  see  her  face  and  greater 
than  the  distance  of  a  world  divides  us. 

I  said,  I  will  hasten.  The  wings  of  a  bird 
shall  be  mine.  As  the  speed  of  the  eagle  so  shall 
my  flight  be. 

Yet  I  can  not  overtake  my  beloved. 

The  winds  become  my  steeds.  Swifter  than 
the  cloud's  flight  is  my  going. 

When  I  arrive  my  beloved  is  not  there. 

The  speed  of  thought  becomes  mine.  There 
is  no  time  between  my  going  and  arriving. 

As  far  as  in  the  beginning,  so  far  am  I  still 
from  my  beloved. 


I  AM  weary.     I  will  no  longer  seek  my  love. 

The  wide,  soft  wings  of  darkness  fold  them- 
selves about  me.  I  will  hide  my  eyes  in  the 
feathers  of  the  wings,  and  the  lights  of  the  world 


54 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 

will  vanish  and  the  light  of  the  stars  and  of  the 
moon  be  shut  out. 

The  long,  deep  wings  of  silence  encompass 
me.  They  cover  my  ears  and  I  no  longer  hear 
the  noises  of  the  world  or  the  far  off  music  of 
the  stars. 

In  the  darkness  and  silence  I  will  rest  and 
forget  the  search  for  my  beloved.     I  will  sleep. 


The  wings  of  darkness  stir;  they  part  that  light 
may  enter. 

The  wings  of  silence  move;  they  lift  that  sound 
may  come  in. 

There  is  still  no  light  and  no  sound.  It  is 
darker  than  midnight  and  more  silent  than  the 
hours  that  follow.  The  darkness  and  the  silence 
wait  on  the  dawn. 

I  can  not  discern  the  coming  of  dawn.  Dark- 
ness fades  and  disappears.  Light  adds  itself 
to  light  and  I  know  only  the  sum  thereof.  Silence 
is  past;  sounds  of  morning  are  in  the  air. 

Brighter  than  sunlight  is  the  face  of  my  be- 
loved. Sweeter  than  the  song  of  birds  is  the 
sound  of  her  voice  bidding  me  follow  her  call. 


Today  thou  art  my  friend  and  we  will  walk  a 
little  way  together. 


55 


QUESTS 

Between  us  is  the  fresh  green  grass  where  the 
morning  dew  lingers  and  delicate  flowers  are 
blooming. 

Our  feet  shall  keep  to  the  paths  that  we  may 
not  brush  the  dew  from  the  grass  or  crush  the 
delicate  flowers. 

In  the  morning  of  this  beautiful  day  we  will 
walk  a  little  way  together. 


Let  an  unspoken  word  be  between  us.  There 
are  no  words  so  binding  as  those  which  are  not 
spoken. 

Let  an  unperformed  act  be  before  us.  There 
are  no  acts  so  alluring  as  those  which  are  unper- 
formed. 

Let  an  untrodden  way  be  ever  beyond  us. 
There  are  no  ways  so  beautiful  as  those  which 
are  untrodden. 


I  WOULD  tell  thee  of  my  deep  sadness,  but  when  I 
am  with  thee  I  have  no  sadness  and  am  only  glad. 

I  would  tell  thee  of  my  great  loneliness,  but 
when  I  am  with  thee  I  know  not  that  loneliness 
is  in  the  world. 

I  would  tell  thee  of  my  tender  longing,  but 
when  thou  art  near  I  have  no  longing  and  am 
satisfied. 


S6 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 


There  came  another  night  when  I  went  forth 
to  be  near  my  love.  Cassiopeia  was  at  the 
zenith  and  the  stars  rising  in  the  east  were  not 
the  stars  of  summer. 

The  screen  of  leaves  which  had  hidden  from 
me  my  love's  window  had  fallen,  but  through 
the  net-work  of  bare  twigs  I  saw  no  light. 

I  went  near  and  called,  but  there  was  no  answer. 
I  knocked  and  no  one  came.  I  looked  in  at  the 
window;  there  was  light,  but  it  fell  from  without. 
There  was  a  shadow,  but  it  was  the  shadow  of 
myself  in  pale  moonlight  on  the  floor. 

I  laid  my  hand  on  the  house.  It  was  cold. 
I  knelt  upon  the  doorstone  and  pressed  my  lips 
to  the  sill  where  steps  last  passed  outward.  It 
was  as  the  mouth  of  the  dead  where  there  is  no 
breath. 

The  dead,  cold  moon  in  the  sky  above  was  not 
more  dead  and  cold  than  the  house  where  my 
love  had  been. 


I  CAN  not  find  my  love.  The  birds  which  have 
sung  of  her  loveliness  are  far  away,  and  the  leaves 
which  whispered  her  name  have  fallen. 

The  wind  blows  cold  from  the  north  and  there 
is  no  witness  of  her  on  the  earth. 


57 


QUESTS 

Where  may  I  find  thee,  my  love?  The  win- 
dows of  thy  house  are  dark  and  the  walls  are 
cold. 

The  snow  has  blotted  out  thy  footprints  in 
the  road  and  there  are  no  footprints  in  the  snow. 

Where  shall  I  search  for  thee?  Speak  softly 
but  a  single  word  and  though  thou  art  a  thou- 
sand miles  away,  the  word  will  reach  my  ears. 


They  asked  me.  What  is  the  name  of  thy  love 
and  where  does  she  dwell?  Who  are  her  father 
and  her  mother,  and  has  she  a  sister  and  a  brother? 
Tell  us  the  age  of  thy  love,  and  the  color  of  her 
eyes  and  of  her  hair.  Does  she  tend  a  garden, 
or  sweep  a  room,  or  study  a  book? 

I  was  silent,  for  I  could  tell  them  none  of  these 
things. 

They  laughed  in  scorn  and  said,  His  love  is 
no  more  known  to  him  than  to  us.  He  has  no 
love. 

Then  I  went  apart  and  was  sorrowful,  for 
their  doubt  was  a  keen  sword  in  my  heart. 

Presently  I  returned  and  asked  of  them.  Is 
the  presence  of  my  love  known  to  you  when 
she  is  absent?  Do  her  eyes  speak  to  you  when 
her  lips  are  silent?  Is  the  touch  of  her  hand 
as  the  alighting  of  a  wild  bird  upon  thy  shoulder, 
and  the  glance  of  her  eyes  as  stars  in  the  night 
sky?     Do  the  winds  bring  tidings  of  her  and  is 


58 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 

the  descent  of  her  spirit  upon  thine  as  the  fall 
of  warm  rain  on  the  dry  earth?  Is  the  remem- 
brance of  her  as  deep  rest  at  the  moment  of 
terrible  weariness,  and  the  presence  of  her  spirit 
a  spur  to  swift  and  unending  action?  When 
she  is  with  thee  is  the  world  no  larger  than  thy 
meeting  place,  and  when  she  departs  dost  thou 
know  infinite  space? 

They  went  away  in  silence  for  they  could  tell 
me  none  of  these  things. 


Yesterday  my  love  became  woman.  She  stood 
in  a  field  gathering  crimson  berries.  The  wild 
bushes  were  higher  than  her  head  and  white 
clematis  grew  upon  them  as  upon  a  trellis. 

The  fruit  had  stained  the  woman's  lips  and 
fingers,  and  a  single  crimson  blot  was  on  the 
whiteness  of  her  gown.  Her  eyes  were  blue  as 
the  chicory  growing  in  the  field,  and  in  her  dark 
hair  she  had  twined  a  vine  of  the  wild  clematis. 

She  was  young,  and  when  she  offered  me  a 
handful  of  the  crimson  fruit  her  hand  trembled, 
and  her  eyes  withdrew  their  gaze  from  mine. 

With  eagerness  I  ran  forward  to  eat  of  the 
fruit    and    attain    wisdom    and    understanding. 

In  the  shadow  of  the  high,  wild  bushes  we  ate 
the  crimson  fruit. 

When  I  was  alone  the  vine  of  wild  clematis 
lay  on  the  ground,  limp  and  broken.     The  sky 


59 


QUESTS 

had  grayed  and  the  wind  was  cold.  Wisdom 
had  not  enlightened  me  nor  had  life  unveiled 
its   secret. 

Weary  and  disheartened  I  lay  in  the  field, 
until,  far  in  the  night,  I  heard  the  calm,  chaste 
voice  of  my  love  calling  me  from  afar. 


The  heart  of  my  love  is  like  a  great  book.  I 
hold  it  in  my  hand  and  count  the  pages.  I  say, 
It  is  long,  but  I  can  read  it  to  the  end;  it  is  deep, 
but  I  can  understand  its  meaning  and  penetrate 
the  depth  of  its  wisdom. 

Lo!  when  I  have  read  half  its  pages  the  number 
still  to  be  read  has  not  grown  less,  and  when 
I  have  reached  the  end  it  is  as  the  beginning. 

That  which  I  have  understood  is  but  a  sen- 
tence from  the  foreword,  and  my  penetration 
has  gone  no  deeper  than  the  leather  of  its  binding. 


I  WAIT  long  to  reach  thy  heart. 

I  wait  as  the  sun  waits  for  the  unfolding  of  a 
rose. 

I  wait  as  the  sun  waited  for  the  unfolding  of 
the  first  flower  upon  earth. 

I  wait  with  the  patience  and  faith  of  the  sun 
which  knows  its  shining  will  unfold  all  flowers. 


60 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 


Will  there  be  an  end  of  my  thoughts  concern- 
ing thee? 

When  I  have  given  words  to  all  my  thoughts, 
I  say,  I  shall  have  no  more;  the  fount  of  my  mind 
is  dry. 

When  I  awake  in  the  morning  my  mind  is 
filled   with   new   thoughts. 

As  a  spring  that  has  been  drained  renews  itself 
by  night  and  fills  with  fresh  water,  so  is  my  mind 
renewed  by  night  and  filled  with  fresh  thoughts 
of  thee. 


I  ASK  not.  What  if  I  had  not  known  thee.^ 

As    well    question    the   breeze.    What   if   thou 

hadst  not  stirred  the  leaves.?  and  the  flower.  What 

if  thy  sweetness  had  not  drawn  the  bee.^* 

As  well  ask  of  the  sun,  What  if  thy  warmth 

had    never    touched    the    earth,    nor    thy    light 

opened  men's  eyes.? 


We  part  at  night  as  familiar  friends.  The  clasp 
of  thy  hand  is  close  and  tender  and  thine  eyes 
are  near  and  kind. 

In  the  morning  thou  comest  to  me  as  from  a 
far  country. 

6i 


QUESTS 

Thy  gaze  is  withdrawn  as  that  of  one  who  has 
beheld  a  great  mystery,  and  the  tones  of  thy 
voice  are  deep  with  the  memory  of  experiences 
not  to  be  disclosed. 

In  the  morning  I  know  thee  not. 


No,  I  will  not  return,  not  for  a  word  or  touch 
of  hand  or  lips. 

We  said  good-night  and  though  we  stood 
apart,  heaven  was  revealed  to  me  within  thine 
eyes  as  thy  sweet  soul  bent  from  its  height  to 
mine. 

No,  I  will  not  return,  lest  I  should  find  thee 
less,  and  for  a  word,  or  touch  of  hand  and  lips, 
lose  the  abiding  of  thy  soul  in  mine. 


I  WAKE  at  night  breathless  with  thy  presence. 
Thine  eyes  are  far  off  as  stars.  Thy  soul  is 
near  as  darkness,  and  thy  hand  is  on  my  heart. 


I  DARE  not  call  thee  by  thy  name.  They  speak 
thy  name  and  thou  turnest  to  right  and  left  to 
meet  their  smiles  and  words.  Thou  answerest 
one  and  another  according  to  their  asking,  and 
art  many  women  in  the  space  of  a  day. 

If  I  should  speak  thy  name  but  once  thy  masks 
and  shields  would  drop.     A  self  that  men  have 


62 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 

never  seen  would  look  from  out  thine  eyes,  and 
even  I  who  called  would  fall  back  in  amaze  and 
awe. 

I  dare  not  speak  thy  name,  lest  calling,  I 
draw  the  spirit  from  out  thy  body  and  they  call 
thee  dead. 


I  WILL  not  speak  thy  name  in  the  cities  and  the 
towns.  I  will  not  profane  thy  name  in  the 
crowded  and  noisy  places  of  earth. 

I  will  speak  thy  name  in  the  open  country, 
in  the  silent  woods  and  on  the  hill-side. 

The  sky  and  the  mountains  will  receive  thy 
name,  and  the  grass  and  trees  will  under- 
stand. 

I  will  speak  thy  name,  and  the  birds  will 
listen  and  the  flowers  nod  in  the  breeze. 

I  will  speak  thy  name  and  all  that  is  beautiful 
will  hear  and  make  reply. 


I  STAND  alone  at  the  gate  of  the  field  as  the  light 
of  the  moon  grows  brighter  and  the  evening 
wind  rises. 

The  noises  of  the  night  are  about  me;  I  hear 
the  song  of  the  pines  and  the  long  surge  of  the 
forest  leaves  like  the  surge  of  the  sea.  The 
little  leaves  of  the  poplar  rustle  and  a  dying  leaf 
falls  and  is  still. 


63 


QUESTS 

The  noises  of  the  night  grow  louder  and  die 
away;  they  rise  and  sink  into  quietness. 

I  Hsten  to  hear,  beyond  the  sounds  of  the  night, 
another  sound.  It  is  swift  and  Hght  and  is  afar 
off.  It  draws  near  and  does  not  die  away.  It 
is  the  sound  of  thy  footsteps  bringing  thee 
to  me. 


I  WILL  seek  my  love  at  morning  when  the  heavi- 
ness of  sleep  lingers  in  her  eyes  as  night-shadows 
in  the  forest  where  birds  are  singing  and  the 
ferns  are  wet  with  dew. 

I  will  seek  her  at  noon  when  the  full  stream  of 
tasks  flows  about  her  and  I  can  not  find  her 
spirit  for  the  multitude  of  her  thoughts. 

I  will  go  to  her  at  eventide  when  her  eyes  are 
on  the  sunset  and  her  thoughts  return  to  me. 

I  will  be  near  her  at  night  when  her  lips  and 
her  thoughts  are  silent  and  only  her  spirit  is 
awake  to  meet  mine  in  the  darkness. 


They  have  lighted  the  lamp  and  closed  the  outer 
door.  They  have  made  in  the  sea  of  darkness  a 
tiny  island  of  light  and  in  the  ocean  of  night  a 
dry  place  above  the  waters. 

The  window  of  thy  chamber  is  open  and  the 
cool  night  air  receives  thy  breath.  The  darkness 
which  hides  from  me  the  road  and  the  wall  be- 


64 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 


yond,  touches  thine  eyelids  and  rests  upon  thy  lips. 
Thy  spirit  flows  out  and  mingles  with  the  night. 
They  have  lighted  the  lamp  and  closed  the 
outer  door.  They  have  made  In  the  ocean  of 
thy  presence  a  little  space  where  thou  are  not. 


How  shall  I  reach  thee? 

Though  I  overtake  thee  at  last  and  hold  thee 
in  my  arms,  though  I  break  down  the  wall  of  thy 
flesh  and  enter  the  temple  of  thy  body,  still 
have  I  not  reached  thee. 

There  Is  no  light  In  the  temple  and  no  fire  on 
the  altar.     Thou  art  not  there. 

The  music  which  I  heard  from  without  is 
silenced  and  the  sweetness  of  incense  has  died 
on  the  air. 

Verily,  the  seeking  of  thy  soul  is  a  long  quest. 


I  WILL  find  a  secret  path  to  thy  heart. 

I  will  not  take  the  highway  where  many 
travelers  move  toward  the  goal.  The  hands  of 
the  travelers  are  filled  with  tributes  and  the 
eyes  of  each  gaze  unkindly  upon  his  fellows. 

I  will  not  mingle  with  those  who  openly  seek 
thy  heart. 

I  will  find  a  little  hidden  path  which  even  thou 
canst  not  see.  Thou  wilt  not  hear  the  sound  of 
my  footsteps  or  catch  a  glimpse  of  my  form,  but 
one  day  before  thou  hast  dreamed  of  my  coming 
thou  wilt  find  me  in  thy  heart. 


6s 


QUESTS 


The  way  is  long  to  thy  heart.  The  way  is  as 
long  as  to  the  farthest  land.  It  is  as  long  as  to 
the  farthest  star. 

If  it  were  not  thy  heart  which  I  seek  I  should 
be  weary;  my  feet  would  falter  and  my  courage 
fail. 

The  greatness  of  my  hope  upholds  me,  for  it 
is  thy  heart  which  I  seek. 


I  KNOW  thou  hast  passed  this  way  for  the  wind 
is  warm  and  gentle  as  soft  hands  upon  my 
face. 

I  know  thou  hast  passed  this  way  for  the  brook 
is  singing  a  low  song  caught  from  thy  voice. 

I  know  thou  hast  passed  this  way  for  the  shade 
of  young  leaves  upon  the  ground  is  restful  as 
thy  presence. 

I  know  thou  hast  passed  this  way  for  where 
thy  feet  have  pressed  white  violets  are  opening. 


It  is  a  little  path  in  the  wood.  Sunlight  drops 
among  the  leaves,  and  ferns  brush  my  garments 
as  I  pass.  A  bird  flies  low  across  my  way,  and  a 
wild  flower  holds  out  its  beauty. 

It  is  a  little  path  in  the  wood,  and  it  leads  to 
thee. 


66 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 

It  Is  a  wide  street  In  a  great  city.  Numberless 
feet  pass  that  way  and  the  roll  of  wheels  Is  un- 
ceasing. The  business  of  a  world  is  transacted 
along  its  borders,  and  from  it  men  depart  for 
far  lands  by  way  of  the  sea. 

It  is  a  wide  street  in  a  great  city,  and  It  leads 
to  thee. 

It  is  a  way  I  do  not  know.  I  can  not  tell  if 
it  is  wide  or  narrow,  leading  east  or  northward, 
into  darkness  or  to  light.  All  feet  shall  pass 
that  way  and  cries  of  lamentation  are  heard  at 
Its  entrance. 

It  is  an  unknown  way,  but  I  know  it  leads  to 
thee. 


Thou  hast  many  hopes.  One  hope  thou  hast 
not,  the  hope  of  seeing  thee. 

Thou  hast  many  blessings.  One  blessing  thou 
hast  not,  the  blessing  of  knowing  thee. 

Thou  hast  many  joys.  One  joy  thou  hast 
not,  the  joy  of  loving  thee. 


I  DID  not  know  thee  in  thy  childhood,  but  I 
know  thy  childhood  was  fair  and  beautiful. 

Thy  future  is  hidden  even  from  thyself,  but 
I  know  thy  future  will  be  fair  and  beautiful. 

I  see  thee  for  a  moment,  and  in  that  moment 
I  discern  thy  childhood  and  thine  Immortality. 

67 


QUESTS 


Smile,  my  loved  one,  for  If  thou  dost  not  smile 
the  faces  of  the  flowers  are  dull  and  the  sun's 
light  grows  dim. 

Be  kind,  for  If  thy  kindness  fails  the  whole 
great  world  is  alien  and  kindness  itself  no  longer 
lives. 

Draw  near,  my  love,  for  If  thou  drawest  not 
near,  though  earth  crowds  close,  I  am  alone  as 
in  the  empty  space  beyond  the  stars. 


Thy  words  are  beautiful  and  gracious,  and  the 
touch  of  thy  hand  is  tender  and  kind. 

Let  thy  lips  be  silent  that  thy  heart  may 
speak  to  me.  Withhold  thy  hand  that  thy  soul 
may  move  toward  mine. 

If  thy  heart  speaks  but  a  simple  word,  and 
thy  soul  but  turns  toward  mine,  I  shall  be 
content. 


My  love,  thou  hast  gone  with  me  but  a  little 
way,  yet  thou  hast  opened  to  me  the  path  which 
has  no  ending. 

Of  thy  store  of  knowledge  thou  hast  imparted 
to  me  but  a  handful,  yet  thou  hast  led  me  to  the 
verge  of  infinite  wisdom. 


68 


THE    QUEST    OF    LOVE 


Thou  hast  bestowed  upon  me  but  a  fraction 
of  thy  love,  yet  thou  hast  brought  me  to  the 
unmeasured  tenderness  beyond  thyself. 


As  a  smouldering  log  breaks  into  clear  flame  at 
a  breath  of  wind,  so  my  heart  has  broken  into  a 
bright  flame  of  love  at  thine  approach. 

The  music  of  my  life  was  harsh  and  discordant 
until  the  noble  music  of  thy  life  fell  upon  my  ear. 
Then  the  discord  of  my  life  resolved  to  deep 
harmony. 

The  waters  of  my  life  were  muddy  and  tur- 
bulent until  they  reached  the  clear  stream  of 
thy  life.  Then  the  waters  of  my  life  were  puri- 
fied and  calmed. 

My  heart  is  as  a  harp  which  thou,  the  wind,  in 
passing,  played  upon,  and  left  with  heavenly 
melody  vibrant  on  its  strings. 


My  beloved,  thou  art  greater  than  thyself. 

Thy  self  is  very  little.  It  moves  about  in  a 
small  space  and  is  wearied  with  little  tasks.  It 
laughs  at  simple  things  and  wastes  its  words  upon 
trifles.  It  is  bounded  by  the  walls  of  a  house  and 
is  the  servant  of  a  day. 

Thy  soul  is  very  great.  It  inhabits  large 
spaces  and  is  at  leisure  from  the  labor  of  the 
world.  It  is  untouched  in  the  midst  of  dis- 
tractions and  its  smile  is  for  serene  and  beautiful 


69 


QUESTS 

things.     The  walls  of  a  house  do  not  contain  it 
and  it  knows  not  days  nor  years. 

Thy  soul  is  greater  than  thy  self,  my  beloved. 


My  love,  thou  hast  many  dwelling-places,  for 
thou  hast  wandered  far  over  the  earth  and  made 
thine  abode  in  many  hearts. 

There  are  dwelling-places  as  the  tents  of  a 
night,  and  wayside  houses  of  rest  and  refresh- 
ment where  thou  hast  paused  for  an  hour. 

There  are  great  and  rugged  castles  whose  lords 
are  gracious  unto  thee,  and  homes  of  little  children 
where  thou  hast  played  in  the  sunshine. 

There  are  dim  and  lonely  dwellings  where 
thou  hast  let  in  light,  and  houses  of  mirth  and 
gladness  where  thou  art  joyful  and  light  of  heart. 

There  are  dwelling-places  which  will  shelter 
thee  all  the  days  of  thy  life  on  earth,  and  abodes 
whose  outer  hall  thou  canst  not  pass. 

Thine  abode  in  my  life  is  invisible  and  unknown 
of  men.     It  will  endure  beyond  earth  and  time. 


The  measure  of  my  love  thou  canst  not  know. 

As  the  sand  upon  the  shore  receives  a  wave  of 
the  mighty  sea,  so  receivest  thou  my  love. 

As  a  little  plant  stands  in  the  full  glory  of  the 
sun  and  takes  of  light  and  heat  according  to  its 
need,  so  takest  thou  my  love.  The  plant  will 
die  and  the  glory  of  the  sun  fall  upon  its  withered 


70 


THE    QUEST   OF    LOVE 

Stalk.  The  sun  shall  one  day  shine  upon  the 
place  where  it  has  been. 

Thou  canst  not  make  return.  Though  thou 
yieldest  mind,  body,  breath,  and  soul,  still  dost 
thou  not  return  my  love. 

Only  the  Power  beyond  thyself  can  make  re- 
turn. 


Strange  and  marvelous  is  the  power  given  into 
thy  keeping. 

There  is  no  fence  about  the  wide  prairie,  but 
thou  art  a  little  gate  opening  into  its  vastness. 

The  mighty  ocean  bears  the  ships  of  the 
world,  but  thou,  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  art  a 
little  stream  bearing  my  ship. 

The  brightness  of  the  sun  illumines  the  whole 
earth,  but  thou,  in  the  midst  of  the  brightness, 
art  a  little  candle  enabling  me  to  see  the  light. 


Thou  art  enthroned  within  my  life  beyond  the 
reach  of  praise  or  blame.  No  word  of  all  that 
men  may  say  reaches  the  high  and  sacred  place 
wherein  thou  art  enshrined. 

Though  they  shout  with  adulation,  thou  art 
not  greater  in  my  eyes.  Though  they  utter 
imprecations,  yet  art  thou  not  less  to  me. 

Fair  and  beautiful  is  thy  life  within  my  soul. 
I  look  up  to  thee  as  to  mountain  summits  whose 


71 


QUESTS 

whiteness  the  heat  and  defilement  of  earth  may 
not  touch. 


The  hght  of  the  full  moon  shines  upon  the  wall 
and  the  room  is  filled  with  soft  radiance. 

Hours  pass  and  the  Hght  on  the  wall  grows 
dim.  The  light  of  the  moon  is  not  overtaken 
by  darkness,  but  by  a  greater  light.  It. is  the 
dawn  of  day  and  all  the  wall  is  light. 

The  light  of  thy  life  shines  on  the  wall  of  my 
soul  and  my  soul  is  filled  with  its  brightness. 

Years  pass  and  the  light  of  thy  life  grows  dim. 
There  is  a  moment  when  it  merges  in  the  light 
of  a  vaster  Life  and  I  can  not  tell  the  one  from 
the  other. 

The  greater  light  waxes  and  I  know  that  the 
glory  of  thy  life  was  the  reflection  of  a  greater 
glory  beyond  thyself. 


I  KNOW  not  where  the  outer  boundaries  of  thy 
life  are  set. 

Shoreward  a  wall  is  built  about  thy  self  that 
thy  fellows  may  not  pass.  Outward  and  sea- 
ward no  bounds  are  visible.  Thy  being  merges 
in  the  vaster  being,  and  the  light  of  stars  sends 
back  thy  glance. 

Thy  low  voice  is  mingled  with  the  call  of  the 
Eternal,  and  the  journey  toward  the  infinite 
goal  is  a  journey  toward  thyself. 


72 


IV 
THE  QUEST  OF  LIFE 


THE  QUEST  OF  LIFE 


Great  is  the  mystery  of  woman.  From  her 
body  comei  forth  the  generations  of  men,  and 
to  the  Hfe  of  earth  there  is  no  other  entrance. 

Tree  and  plant  bring  forth  after  their  kind, 
and  bird  and  animal  bear  according  to  their 
nature.  The  woman  brings  forth  after  her  kind; 
but  through  the  open  door  there  enters,  with  the 
flesh  and  blood,  the  unforeseen  and  unknown. 

The  soul  of  man  slips  in  with  the  body,  and 
the  door  may  give  entrance  to  a  greater  guest. 


Is  the  Issue  of  my  body  but  a  single  life.^  Is 
the  fruit  of  my  travail  but  one  puny  man.?  Shall 
my  desire  attain  but  this  slight  end? 

I  am  the  earth  mother.  All  that  has  life  I 
bear. 

I  am  pregnant  with  the  life  of  seeds;  with  the 
life  of  the  seed  of  grass  and  the  seed  of  the  great 
oak,  with  the  life  of  the  little  spores  of  moss  and 
fern,  and  the  fine  seed  of  the  orchid. 

The  gnat  and  the  spider  I  bear,  and  the  lizard 
and  toad  are  my  offspring.  The  life  of  the  bird 
and  butterfly  are  in  my  womb  and  at  my  breasts 
feed  the  wolf  and  the  lion.  I  give  suck  to  the 
whale,  and  the  deer  and  elephant  I  nourish. 


75 


QUESTS 

The  generations  of  men  are  in  my  keeping, 
for  I  am  the  door  to  the  life  of  the  world. 


I  AWAIT  the  moment  when  my  beloved  shall 
say  to  me,  Let  us  go  out  alone,  together,  in  the 
night. 

For  this  was  I  born.  The  years  of  my  life 
have  brought  me  to  this  hour.  They  depart 
from  my  presence  as  servants  which  have  finished 
their  work.      Henceforth  I  live  beyond  the  years. 

The  sum  of  the  desire  of  all  living  things  does 
not  exceed  my  desire  for  thee,  my  beloved.  The 
trees  make  of  the  winds  their  messengers  and  the 
flowers  send  forth  the  bee  and  the  butterfly  on 
their  errands  of  love.  The  fluttering  moth 
draws  her  mate  from  afar,  and  the  wild  beast 
calls  in  the  forest.  Man  lays  at  the  feet  of  his 
love  a  crown  and  a  kingdom,  and  woman  follows 
her  desire  though  the  high  plains  resound  with 
the  battle-din  of  vast  armies. 

Ocean  calls  to  river,  and  star  and  sun  yield 
to  their  bonds  across  unlighted  space. 

So  great  is  my  desire  for  thee,  my  beloved. 

The  stream  of  life  breaks  against  its  barriers. 
I  await  thy  coming  that  the  gates  of  my  body 
may  be  opened  for  the  passing  of  the  stream  of 
life. 

The  stream  is  deep  and  mighty.  It  bears  upon 
its  waters  the  bodies  and  souls  of  coming  men. 

76 


THE    QUEST    OF    LIFE 

The  place  of  its  rising  is  secret  and  the  goal  of  its 
waters  hidden.  The  sound  of  its  flowing  is 
sweet  to  my  ears.  In  it  is  all  the  music  of  the 
earth.  The  brightness  of  its  waters  gladdens 
my  eyes.  In  them  is  all  the  beauty  of  the  world. 
I  await  thy  coming,  my  beloved,  that  the 
gates  of  my  body  may  be  opened  for  the  passing 
of  the  stream  of  life. 


I  WAITED  for  my  love  upon  the  mountain  summit 
where  the  lone  bird  calls  and  the  distant  peak 
draws  near  in  the  clear  air. 

I  lay  in  a  hollow  of  the  rock  where  the  rain  and 
sun  had  brought  forth  the  lichen  and  the  white 
sandwort  blossomed  alone. 

My  love  came  from  the  east  and  the  light  of 
the  morning  star  and  of  the  rising  sun  was  upon 
him.  Over  a  shining  sea  of  white  cloud  he  came. 
The  cloud  filled  the  valley  and  hid  the  world 
below. 

The  strong  voice  of  my  love  summoned  me 
and  I  ran  to  meet  him.  When  he  laid  his  hand 
upon  me  I  was  glad.  His  breath  was  on  my  face 
as  the  mountain  wind  upon  the  fir  trees,  and  the 
mist  rose  and  covered  us  until  we  were  hidden 
from  the  morning  star  and  the  rising  sun. 

Alone,  upon  the  mountain  summit,  the  bound- 
aries of  our  lives  were  broken  and  we  entered 
into  the  life  of  the  earth  and  of  the  heavens. 


11 


QUESTS 

No  place  was  alien  to  us  and  no  time  unknown. 
No  life  from  the  least  to  the  greatest  was  a  stranger 
and  the  power  which  is  without  waning  was 
manifest  unto  us. 

When  we  awakened  the  sun  was  high  and 
the  mist  had  vanished.  The  naked  world  lay 
below  us.  In  the  valley  were  tasks  and  task- 
masters, and  the  dust  of  labor  and  the  smoke 
of  battle  rose  toward  the  mountain  summit. 


That  which  I  conceived  upon  the  mountain  will 
descend  to  earth. 

The  Child  is  not  to  be  of  this  world.  He  shall 
come  and  go,  and  come  again,  as  the  light  of  the 
sun. 

Men  will  lift  their  eyes  from  their  toil  and  be- 
holding the  beauty  of  his  face,  shall  be  joyful. 
Children  and  the  young  in  heart  shall  hasten 
to  greet  him  and  the  aged  and  the  mourner  will 
stand  no  longer  in  the  shadow  of  the  grave. 

The  Child  shall  be  to  men  as  the  bearer  of 
tidings  from  another  world. 


78 


V 

THE  ETERNAL  QUEST 


THE  ETERNAL  QUEST 


Hath  all  been  said  of  old?  Hath  all  been  re- 
vealed? Is  there  aught  more  to  be  told  con- 
cerning the  Ruler  of  the  earth  and  the  heavens? 

Has  Being  gained  In  depth  and  height?  Has 
the  Eternal  enlarged  His  borders  ?  Has  He  gained 
new  attributes  and  power? 

Shall  the  words  that  have  been  spoken  of  the 
Eternal  continually  satisfy  men?  Has  the  voice 
of  Truth  spoken  and  passed  Into  silence  as  the 
voice  of  a  bird  whose  time  of  singing  Is  past? 

Shall  men  henceforth  hear  only  the  echo  of 
the  voice  of  Truth? 


Great  words  have  been  spoken  of  Thee,  my  God. 

Thou  art  greater  than  all  the  words  spoken  of 
Thee. 

The  imagination  of  man  has  pictured  Thee  in 
the  heavens,  marvelous  in  power  and    wisdom. 

Thy  power  and  wisdom  exceed  the  imagina- 
tion of  man. 

The  trust  of  man  has  gone  out  to  Thee  and 
the  faith  of  man  Is  In  Thy  keeping. 

Thy  worth  and  Thy  faithfulness  are  beyond 
the  trust  and  faith  of  man. 


8i 


QUESTS 


So  far  as  space  exceeds  the  little  space  man 
knows,  so  far  dost  Thou  exceed  man's  thought 
of  Thee,  my  God. 


Dost  Thou  uphold  to  the  end?  Is  Thy  mercy 
upon  them  that  serve  the  hour  and  the  day,  and 
Thy  care  withdrawn  from  him  who  heeds  a  call 
from  beyond  the  present  and  the  near? 

Dost  Thou  confound  the  keen  of  ear  and  hun- 
gry of  soul,  and  bring  to  confusion  him  whose 
eves  are  upon  a  far  off  goal? 

Dost  Thou  prepare  Thy  servant  as  for  an 
arduous  task,  and  give  the  task  to  another  who 
is  to  come? 

Is  my  hope  illusion  and  my  vision  Thy  decep- 
tion ? 


Art  Thou  concerned  with  loss  ?     Art  Thou  pitiful  ? 

Dost  Thou  mourn  the  death  of  a  man,  or 
sorrow  at  the  maiming  of  a  child? 

Is  the  virtue  of  a  woman  Thy  care,  and  the 
integrity  of  a   soul  Thy  regard? 

Art  Thou  desolate  at  the  burning  of  a  city, 
and  cast  down  at  the  fall  of  a  nation? 

Thou  who  art  All  knoweth  no  loss.  Thou  who 
art  Life  knoweth  no  death.  Thou  who  art 
Virtue  knoweth  no  departure  from  virtue,  and 
Thou  who  art  Upright  knoweth  no  falling. 


82 


THE    ETERNAL    QUEST 


Thou  weepest  not,  neither  dost  Thou  sorrow, 
for  from  Thee  nothing  can  be  taken  away,  and 
that  which  is  Thine  can  not  be  destroyed. 


A  Voice  came  to  me,  saying:     Speak  my  Word. 

I  answered,  Thy  Word  is  great  and  terrible. 
It  is  too  great  for  the  men  of  earth;  it  will  awe 
and  affright  them.  Hearing,  they  will  leave 
their  tasks  that  they  may  listen,  and  the  work 
of  the  world  will  cease. 

The  Voice  spoke,  saying:  Does  the  bird 
cease  its  singing  lest  the  clearness  of  its  song 
entrance  men,  or  the  flower  withhold  its  fragrance 
that  they  be  not  overpowered  by  its  sweetness.'' 
Does  the  lightning  sheathe  its  sword  or  the  wind 
restrain  its  violence.^  Does  the  sun  temper  its 
heat?     Do  the  stars  veil  their  light .^ 

My  Word  shall  visit  the  earth  as  the  song  of 
birds  and  as  the  fragrance  of  a  flower.  It  will 
come  as  the  shaft  of  lightning  and  as  the  mighty 
wind.  It  will  descend  as  the  fierce  heat  of  the 
sun  and  fall  as  the  faint  light  of  stars. 

Men  heed  the  bird  and  the  flower,  and  are 
blind  to  their  beauty.  The  lightning  smites  the 
dead  tree  and  the  living  flesh.  The  wind  plays 
with  a  blossom  and  lays  low  a  city.  The  heat 
of  the  sun  unfolds  a  plant  from  the  seed  and 
parches  the  grass  of  a  field.  The  stars  of  night 
console  and  they  terrify. 

83 


QUESTS 

My  Word  shall  weaken  and  strengthen  men. 
It  will  smite  and  heal;  confound  and  enlight- 
en; curse  and  bless. 

Lo,  my  Word  shall  be  heeded  and  it  shall  pass 
unheard.  It  will  smite  the  dead  and  the  living; 
it  will  build  up  and  lay  low.  It  will  come  with 
playfulness  and  gentleness  and  approach  with 
terrible  might.  It  will  bestow  life  and  bring  to 
death.     It  will  console  and  terrify. 

Men  will  turn  from  their  labor  that  they  may 
listen.  Some  will  return  to  their  tasks  and  others 
will  forget  their  work  and  return  no  more. 

In  manifold  ways  will  the  world  receive  my 
Word. 

Speak  thou  as  it  is  commanded  thee. 


I  ASKED,  What  shall  I  say  unto  men.?  Tell  me 
thy  Word  quickly  that  I  may  speak  and  the 
world  may  hear. 

I  listened,  but  I  heard  only  the  wind  as  it 
passed  and  when  the  wind  was  still,  the  song  of  a 
little  bird. 

Again  I  cried.  Speak  unto  me  thy  Word. 

I  listened,  and  I  heard  the  tramping  of  many 
feet  and  the  murmur  of  many  voices.  I  heard 
sounds  of  joy  and  sounds  of  mourning;  the  call 
to  prayer  and  the  battle-cry  of  nations  at  war. 

Once  more  I  cried,  Give  unto  me  thy  Word 
as  thou  hast  promised. 


84 


{ 


THE    ETERNAL    QUEST 

I  listened  and  I  heard  no  sound.  The  silence 
grew  until  the  silence  itself  was  a  Voice,  and  the 
Voice  spoke  unto  me. 


I  AM  the  Height  above  the  height  of  aspiration 
and  the  Depth  below  the  depth  of  understand- 
ing. 

I  am  the  Answer  to  the  unanswerable,  and  the 
Solution  of  the  unsolvable. 

I  am  the  Goal  beyond  striving,  and  the  End 
beyond  attainment. 

I  am  the  Thought  beyond  thinking,  and  the 
Beauty   beyond    the    manifestations    of   beauty. 

I  am  the  Light  beyond  darkness,  and  the 
Darkness  beyond  light. 

I  am  the  Strength  beyond  weakness,  and  the 
Wholeness  beyond  that  which  is  broken. 

I  am  the  Purpose  enclosing  all  purposes,  and 
the  Effort  including  all  efforts. 

I  am  the  End  of  all  beginnings,  and  the  Be- 
ginning of  all  ends. 

I  am  Old  in  the  presence  of  the  new,  and  New 
in  the  presence  of  that  which  is  old. 

I  am  the  Mystery  beyond  the  known,  and  the 
Truth  beyond  the  unknown. 

I  am  the  Certainty  beyond  hope,  and  the  Love 
beyond  yearning. 

I  am  that  which  Is,  beyond  that  which  is 
not. 


85 


QUESTS 


My  Word  has  become  a  toy  and  plaything 
among  men;  they  have  tossed  it  to  and  fro  and 
broken  it  in  pieces  to  find  its  meaning.  They 
have  held  it  to  the  light  to  see  whereof  it  is  made. 
They  have  said,  How  beautiful  is  thy  Word,  O 
my  God! 

My  people  have  become  as  those  who  build 
reservoirs  above  their  fields  to  catch  the  rain. 
When  the  rain  has  come  they  have  rejoiced  at 
the  deep  water  and  given  thanks  that  it  was  kept 
from  the  soil  below,  that  they  might  play  in 
its  limpid  brightness. 

Behold!  the  water  of  my  Word  shall  break 
through  their  reservoirs  of  thought.  It  shall 
cease  to  be  a  toy  and  plaything  and  shall  run 
with  power  over  the  earth.  The  thirsty  land 
shall  be  refreshed  and  its  fruitage  increased. 

Men  shall  no  longer  shield  themselves  from 
the  sword  of  my  Word.  They  shall  feel  the 
keenness  of  its  naked  blade  and  know  the  strength 
of  its  hilt.  They  shall  rejoice  and  be  purified 
through  the  probing  of  their  hearts. 


Where  seekest  thou  Me,  O  man.?  Am  I  in 
that  which  is  past.?  Am  I  in  that  which  is  dead.? 
Am  I  in  that  which  repeats  itself? 


86 


THE    ETERNAL    QUEST 

I  am  in  the  present  moment,  and  when  the 
moment  is  past  I  am  in  that  moment  which  is 
present. 

Thou  searchest  for  Me  in  vain  among  the  dead. 
Where  I  have  been  I  am  not  now,  and  where  I 
am  thou  shalt  find  Me  not  again. 

I  am  the  ever-new.  The  act  which  comes 
forth  from  My  hand  shall  repeat  itself  as  waves 
in  the  wake  of  a  ship  repeat  themselves  in  the 
waters  of  the  ocean.  I  am  as  the  ship  which  has 
moved  on,  leaving  in  its  track  new  waves. 


Men  do  many  things  in  remembrance  of  Me. 

Lo!  I  ask  them  to  remember  Me  no  more. 
I  will  blot  out  their  remembrance  for  I  dwell 
no  longer  in  the  past. 

I  have  left  the  old  time  and  dwell  now  in  the 
present.  He  who  would  remember  Me  looks 
backward  where  I  am  not. 

Remember  Me  no  more,  ye  sons  of  earth,  for 
My  presence  is  greater  than  your  remembrance 
of  Me. 


I  AM  as  one  who  passes  swiftly  and  does  not  return. 
Shall  the  plow  enter  again  the  furrow  it  has 
made  in  the  field.?  Does  the  voice  of  the  singer 
return  to  the  record  of  itself  and  the  hand  retrace 
the  words  it  has  written? 


87 


QUESTS 

The  plow  passes  on  to  unbroken  ground;  the 
voice  of  the  singer  is  heard  in  a  new  song,  and  the 
hand  of  the  writer  forms  new  words. 

I  am  as  one  who  makes  a  garment  and  casts 
it  aside.  I  am  as  one  who  scatters  seed  and 
stays  not  for  the  harvest.  I  am  as  one  who 
builds  a  temple  and  lingers  not  within  its  walls. 
I  am  as  one  who  prepares  a  feast  and  sits  not 
at  the  table. 

Continually  I  flee,  and  no  work  of  My  hand 
shall  restrain  Me.  My  ships  do  not  bear  Me 
nor  My  roofs  shelter  Me.  The  sun  gives  Me 
not  light  and  heat,  nor  does  the  earth  uphold 
My  feet.  Neither  am  I  contained  within  My 
truth  or  revealed  by  My  word. 

Behind  Me  are  all  the  works  and  thoughts 
of  men  and  I  am  beyond  all  that  I  have  formed 
or  spoken. 


If  a  man  walk  with  Me  shall  it  be  as  if  he  walked 
with  his  fellows.? 

Is  My  pace  as  the  pace  of  men.?  Do  I  hasten 
when  they  hasten  and  pause  where  they  pause? 

Of  old  I  have  walked  with  men.  I  have  lin- 
gered where  they  heaped  flowers  upon  their 
graves  and  I  have  stayed  to  comfort  those  who 
mourned. 

I  have  conferred  with  the  doubter  and  waited 
patiently  for  the  slow  of  faith.     I  have  stooped 


THE    ETERNAL    QUEST 

to  the  weak  and  turned  aside  to  meet  him  who 
had  sinned.  I  have  watched  httle  children  at 
their  play  and  entered  into  the  manifold  concerns 
of  earth. 

Lo!  now  I  move  swiftly  in  the  heavens  and 
walk  no  longer  with  men. 

He  who  would  walk  with  Me  must  linger  not 
by  a  grave  nor  seek  repose  for  weariness.  He 
shall  not  nurse  his  sorrow  or  magnify  his  sin. 
He  shall  drop  pain  as  a  cast-off  garment  and  lose 
his  weakness  in  My  strength. 

Lo!  now  I  move  swiftly  in  the  heavens  and 
walk  no  longer  with  men.  I  wait  not  for  the 
doubter  or  for  the  slow  of  faith.  I  stoop  not 
to  the  weak  and  turn  not  aside  to  meet  the  sin- 
ner. I  have  left  the  little  children  and  My  hand 
is  no  longer  in  the  concerns  of  earth. 

If  a  man  walk  with  Me  it  shall  not  be  as  if  he 
walked  with  his  fellows.  I  move  swiftly  in  the 
heavens  and  he  who  would  walk  with  Me  must 
linger  not,  but  hasten,  lest  I  pass  beyond  his 
sight. 


I  HAVE  sent  My  people  forth  to  many  tasks 
and  adventures; — one  to  build  a  bridge  and 
one  to  write  a  book;  one  to  dig  in  the  earth  and 
one  to  fly  in  the  air;  one  to  till  the  soil,  and  one 
to  sail  the  sea.  There  is  commerce  and  there 
is  the  teaching  of  youth.     There  is  conquering 

89 


QUESTS 

of  nations,  and  there  is  resisting.  There  are 
tasks  and  adventures  without  number. 

My  people  have  grown  vain  in  their  hearts. 
They  have  said:  See  the  greatness  of  our  works. 
Behold!  we  do  all  things.  The  sea  has  become 
our  servant  and  the  stars  our  guides.  Our  works 
have  become  as  the  works  of  Nature.  Lo!  they 
exceed  the  works  of  Nature.  Even  he  who 
wields  the  hoe  and  she  who  uses  the  broom  is 
exalted. 

Behold,  I  call  My  people  from  their  tasks  as  a 
mother  calls  her  children  from  their  play.  I 
call  them  from  the  making  of  nations  and  from 
the  building  of  toy  houses.  I  call  them  from 
the  sailing  of  air-ships  and  from  the  sailing  of 
kites.  I  call  them  from  their  philosophies  and 
their  poems,  from  their  cathedrals  and  their 
prisons,  from  their  battle-fields  and  their  golf 
courses.  I  call  them  from  all  their  tasks  and 
adventures. 

I  heed  not  the  demur  of  him  who  would  finish 
his  work.  At  My  call  the  tool  must  drop  and 
the  top  cease  its  spinning.  The  statue  of  marble 
is  but  half  chiseled  and  the  garment  but  a  quarter 
wrought.  The  runner  has  not  reached  his  goal 
and  the  poet  has  not  found  words  for  his  thought. 

As  a  mother  calls  her  children  from  their 
play,  so  call  I  My  people  from  their  work.  The 
night  comes  on.  My  people  sleep.  I,  only, 
am  awake  in  the  darkness  as  a  mother  who 
gathers  up  the  toys  and  prepares  for  a  new  day. 


90 


THE    ETERNAL    QUEST 


I  WILL  give  unto  My  people  rest. 

The  rest  which  I  will  give  shall  be  not  as  the 
rest  of  quiet  feet  and  of  a  body  at  ease,  nor  as 
the  rest  of  folded  hands  and  of  closed  eyes. 
Neither  shall  it  be  as  the  rest  of  the  unseeking 
mind  and  the  satisfied  heart. 

My  rest  is  not  as  the  rest  of  those  who  travel 
by  day  the  worn  and  easy  paths  and  at  night 
return  to  the  roof  which  sheltered  them  in  child- 
hood. 

The  feet  of  those  who  know  My  rest  shall 
never  pause;  their  eyes  shall  not  close  nor  their 
hands  be  folded.  They  shall  pass  from  hunger 
to  hunger  and  shall  never  cease  from  searching. 

They  will  travel  by  day  the  steep  and  unworn 
paths  of  the  future  and  at  night  no  roof  will 
hide  from  them  the  stars. 

The  way  that  is  past  shall  close  behind  them 
that  they  may  not  return,  and  continually  before 
them  will  open  the  way  which  is  new. 


The  ways  that  are  known  are  many. 

When  men  follow  the  ways  that  are  known 
they  walk  assured  and  confident,  though  the 
ways  are  lonely  and  difficult.  In  the  darkest 
path  there  is  witness  of  those  who  have  passed, 
and  the  voices  of  those  who  have  gone  that  way 
linger  in  the  silence. 


91 


QUESTS 

Are  there  before  us  unknown  ways?  Dost 
Thou  call  to  paths  where  no  feet  have  trod? 

Dost  Thou  command  me  to  enter  the  wilder- 
ness from  whence  my  report  will  not  be  believed 
nor  my  word  trusted? 

Is  Thy  call  from  beyond  the  frontier  where 
Thy  pioneers  have  pitched  their  tents  and  Thy 
scouts  are  at  ease? 

Shall  I  not  tell  of  the  beauty  of  the  land  that 
is  found  and  describe  the  ways  that  men  have 
discovered  ? 

The  land  that  is  found  is  known  to  few  and 
the  ways  that  men  have  discovered  are  little 
trod. 

Why  callest  Thou  to  ways  that  are  strange 
and  new  when  Thy  people  are  weary  with  the 
journey  and  would  rest? 


Thy  call  is  from  afar  and  to  a  far  land. 

If  Thy  call  had  been  to  a  goal  close  at  hand 
I  could  have  attained  rest  in  my  youth.  All  the 
years  of  my  life  would  not  have  been  given  to 
striving  and  my  nights  to  listening  for  Thy  call. 
I  should  have  found  peace  in  friendship  and  joy 
in  the  love  of  kin.  The  tasks  of  a  day  would 
have  sufficed  for  my  hands  and  the  pleasures  of  a 
day  would  have  filled  my  thoughts.  A  house 
would  have  been  my  shelter  and  the  world  my 
dwelling-place. 


92 


THE    ETERNAL    QUEST 

Behold!  Thou  hast  called  me  from  afar  to  a 
goal  I  know  not.  Thou  hast  given  me  no  rest 
save  in  striving  and  in  my  sleep  thou  still  urgest 
me. 

Thou  hast  broken  the  bonds  of  friendship  and 
severed  me  from  kindred.  When  the  work  of  the 
day  is  finished  Thy  task  rises  before  me  in  the 
darkness,  and  the  pleasures  of  a  day  are  forgotten 
in  the  hope  of  Thy  promised  joy. 

Thou  hast  laid  low  the  walls  of  my  house,  and 
the  world  has  become  as  the  stopping-place  of  a 
day. 

Thy  call  is  from  afar  and  to  a  goal  I  know  not. 


Men  have  found  Thee  in  the  rock  and  in  the 
tree;  in  bird  and  animal,  and  within  the  human 
heart. 

They  have  found  Thee  in  the  sky  and  in  the 
ocean,  in  the  stars  and  sun,  and  in  the  mighty 
wind. 

Thou  hast  descended  to  earth  as  a  dove  and 
as  the  rain  which  watereth  the  grass.  Thou  hast 
led  men  by  a  pillar  of  fire,  and  Thou  hast  spoken 
from  the  flaming  bush  and  from  the  mount  that 
might  not  be  touched. 

I  would  find  Thee  where  Thou  art  not  manifest. 
I  would  find  Thee  where  there  is  no  sound  nor 
light  nor  substance.  I  would  find  Thee  where 
there  is  nothing  but  Thyself. 


93 


QUESTS 


I  would  see  Thee  where  Thou  art  not  visible, 
and  hear  Thee  where  Thou  makest  no  sound. 

I  would  find  Thee  where  there  is  nothing  but 
Thyself. 


I  WOULD  not  be  always  as  one  who  stands  where 
Thou  hast  passed. 

I  would  stand  where  Thou  art  passing  that  I 
may  see  Thy  face. 

I  would  not  be  always  as  one  who  hears  the 
words  Thou  hast  spoken. 

I  would  hear  Thy  voice  and  know  the  w^ords 
Thou   art   speaking. 

I  would  not  be  always  as  one  who  knows  Thou 
hast  visited  the  earth. 

I  would  know  when  Thou  art  here  that  I 
may  touch  the  hem  of  Thy  garment. 


In  my  soul  is  the  sound  of  many  voices.  They 
are  little  voices  and  they  speak  of  little  things. 

The  sound  of  the  many  little  voices  is  so  loud 
that  I  can  not  hear  Thy  voice.  Thy  voice  is 
great  and  it  speaks  of  great  things. 

I  would  silence  the  many  little  voices  that  I 
may  hear  Thy  great  voice  speaking  alone. 


When  I  was  a  child  I  was  fearful  of  many  things. 
High  in  an  elm  tree  worms  had  spun  them  a 


94 


THE    ETERNAL    QUEST 

nest  about  the  slender  twigs.  I  ran  quickly 
past  the  tree  on  my  way  to  school,  for  the  nest 
was  in  the  likeness  of  a  little  old  woman  and  her 
sharp  eyes  looked  down  upon  me.  In  my  bed 
I  turned  my  back  upon  a  tall,  draped  figure,  for  if 
I  turned  my  back  the  figure  was  no  longer  there. 

In  my  youth  the  noises  of  the  night  afltrighted 
me,  and  I  locked  my  door  against  the  presences 
without.  The  evil  in  the  world  became  as  a 
many-headed  monster  ready  to  assail  me  and  I 
trembled  and  was  dismayed  at  the  presence  of 
life. 

Then  a  Voice  spoke  to  me  from  out  the  dark- 
ness, saying:  Have  no  fear.  I  am  Master  In 
this  world  and  of  nothing  may  it  be  said,  It  is 
greater  than  I. 

One  day  thou  shalt  stand  with  Me  at  the 
tempest's  heart  when  the  lightnings  dart  from 
My  hand  and  the  swift,  strong  winds  depart. 
Thou  shalt  descend  with  Me  to  the  dungeons  of 
disease  where  sickness  is  bred  and  the  pestilence 
which  devastates  the  earth.  Thou  shalt  bare 
thy  breast  to  the  murderer's  knife  and  thy 
treasure  shall  be  upon  the  high-road  where 
thieves  pass  in  the  night.  Thou  shalt  pass  un- 
scathed through  the  den  of  the  harlot  and  in 
the  presence  of  the  libertine  thou  shalt  remain 
pure. 

No  demon  of  the  mind's  fancy  shall  assail 
thee,  and  the  noises  of  the  night  shall  be  as 
precious  secrets  to  thine  ears. 


QUESTS 


Thou  shalt  laugh  at  mourning  and  mock  at 
death,  for  I  am  Master  in  this  world  and  of  nothing 
may  it  be  said,  It  is  greater  than  I. 


My  life  is  set  to  the  rhythm  of  eternity.  Its 
rhythm  is  not  as  that  of  the  lives  of  men.  It  is 
slower  than  the  rhythm  of  their  lives.  When 
men  run  swiftly  after  many  things,  when  they 
hasten  with  shouts  toward  their  goals,  I  am  quiet 
and  the  pulse  of  my  life  is  unstirred. 

The  rhythm  of  my  life  is  quicker  than  that  of 
the  lives  of  men.  When  they  have  ceased  their 
running  and  sit  by  the  evening  fire,  when  sleep 
is  upon  them  and  the  pulse  of  their  life  is  slow, 
my  soul  moves  with  terrible  swiftness  toward  a 
goal  beyond  the  farthest  star. 


The  years  of  my  life  yet  to  be  lived  are  behind 
me.     I  look  back  upon  all  the  years  of  my  life. 

The  journey  from  youth  to  the  grave  is  very 
short.  It  is  accomplished.  I  have  seen  my  body 
fall  and  the  earth  cover  it. 

I  have  watched  the  little  candle  of  my  life  go 
out  and  the  great  world  is  no  less  light.  I  hear 
no  more  the  sound  of  my  voice,  but  there  are  no 
less  voices  in  the  world. 

I  have  seen  my  life  pass  away  as  a  cloud,  and 
I  stand  in  the  clear  shining  of  the  sun. 

96 


THE    ETERNAL   QUEST 


The  youth  of  the  world  is  renewed  dally  by  the 
coming  of  little  children.  They  rise  among  the 
failing  and  the  aged  as  fresh  growths  in  an  ancient 
and  dying  forest.  Continually  they  replace 
that  which  is  old. 

The  little  children  at  length  grow  old  and  are 
weary.     Their  flesh  fails  and  they  pass  away. 

Is  there  that  which  is  continually  new.^  Is 
there  that  which  grows  not  old  and  passes  not 
away.? 

Behold!  Thou  art  younger  than  a  new-born 
child  and  more  new  than  a  day  at  its  dawning. 

When  the  earth  shall  be  no  more  Thine  age 
will  be  no  greater  than  when  the  earth  was  not. 

Birth,  dawn,  and  spring,  and  hope  and  love, 
are  but  veiled  witnesses  to  Thine  eternal  youth. 


Life  has  many  duties  to  be  performed,  and  one 
duty  speaks  to  one  man  and  another  duty  to 
another  man. 

The  duty  which  has  spoken  to  me  Is  not  as 
those  which  have  spoken  to  other  men. 

It  is  not  the  strong  and  noble  duty  of  a  father, 
or  the  gentle  and  tender  duty  of  a  mother.  It 
is  not  the  duty  of  one  who  ministers  to  suffering 
and  assuages  sorrow.  It  is  not  the  duty  of  one 
who  moves  among  his  fellows  to  raise  and  bless 


97 


QUESTS 

them.  It  is  not  the  duty  of  friend  or  servant, 
sister  or  lover. 

The  duty  which  has  spoken  to  me  is  the  duty  of 
one  who  is  called  apart  to  be  silent  and  to  listen. 

It  is  the  duty  of  one  who  is  commanded  to  be 
separate  from  the  concerns  of  men  that  he  may 
learn  of  the  concerns  beyond  men. 

It  is  the  duty  of  one  who  is  commanded  to 
turn  aside  from  the  known  and  traveled  ways, 
and  enter  upon  the  ways  that  are  untrodden  and 
unknown. 


As  a  musician  tunes  the  strings  of  his  instru- 
ment, so  hast  Thou  tuned  my  spirit  to  Thy  use. 

The  bow  of  Thy  testing  has  been  drawn  a 
thousand  times  and  Thy  keen  ear  has  listened 
all  the  years  of  my  life  for  its  perfect  tune. 

I  shrank  from  the  drawing  of  Thy  bow.  I 
rebelled  against  the  fineness  of  Thine  ear.  I 
cried  out.  It  is  enough;  play  upon  Thine  instru- 
ment as  it  is,  lest  Thou  strain  its  strings  to  breaking. 

But  Thou  desisted  not. 

There  came  a  day  when  Thine  instrument 
was  in  tune  with  the  beauty  of  the  world.  The 
forest  and  the  cloud  broke  into  music  upon  its 
strings  and  the  sea  and  stars  gave  forth  their 
melody.  There  came  a  day  when  it  sang  of  the 
longing  of  human  hearts  and  of  the  greatness  and 
mystery  of  love.    There  came  a  day  when  from 

98 


THE    ETERNAL    QUEST 

Its  Upper  strings  was  drawn  a  clear,  faint  strain 
of  the  music  of  eternity. 


I  ASKED  that  I  might  be  shown  the  Spirit  of  the 
West  and  of  the  East,  and  visions  were  granted 
me. 

I  saw  darkness,  deeper  than  the  darkness  of 
night.  From  the  darkness  came  a  million 
lights  and  darkness  was  no  more.  There  was 
silence,  deeper  than  the  silence  of  night.  From 
the  silence  a  million  sounds  were  born  and  there 
was  an  end  of  silence. 

I  saw  a  vast  and  shapeless  mass  break  into 
countless  forms.  I  saw  a  beam  of  pure  white 
light  dissolve  Into  countless  colors.  A  lichen 
grew  upon  a  rock,  and  the  earth  was  green  with 
forests  and  sweet  with  flowers.  Life  stirred  In  a 
pool,  and  the  earth  and  air  bred  myriad  crawling, 
flying,  leaping  things. 

A  creature  walked  upright,  and  in  the  course 
of  ages  nations  were  born.  The  hand  of  man 
formed  many  things  and  in  his  brain  were  many 
thoughts.  Man  set  himself  to  lengthen,  divide, 
and  multiply  the  threads  of  life.  He  said: 
Let  us  Increase,  Improve,  and  strengthen  Man. 
Let  us  multiply  his  works  and  his  thoughts. 
Let  us  give  him  dominion  and  power. 

Thus  saw  I  the  Spirit  of  the  West. 


99 


QUESTS 

I  saw  a  man  fall  and  die.  I  saw  war  and  pesti- 
lence sweep  the  earth.  I  saw  a  nation  blotted  out 
and  a  people  become  no  more. 

The  green  of  the  forests  turned  to  brown  and 
the  grass  withered.  Over  all  the  earth  there 
was  no  living  thing.  I  saw  the  thousand  tints 
of  the  rainbow  withdrawn  into  a  pure  white 
beam  of  light.  Form  sank  to  formlessness; 
sound  returned  to  silence  and  light  to  the  abyss 
of  darkness.  The  threads  of  life  were  gathered 
into  one  strand  and  the  strand  broke. 

All  that  had  been  was  as  if  it  were  not. 

Then  a  Voice  spoke,  saying:  All  that  has 
been  came  forth  from  Me  and  returns.  I  have 
power  to  give  and  to  withdraw,  to  form  and  re- 
form. My  power  and  dominion  exceed  the 
power  and  dominion  of  man.  They  shall  last 
forever. 

Thus  saw  I  the  Spirit  of  the  East. 


I  SAW  the  nations  of  the  earth  at  war.  Months 
grew  to  years,  and  the  long  battle  line  wavered 
from  east  to  west  and  back  again. 

The  dead  lay  upon  the  ground  like  fallen  fruit 
which  men  have  not  time  to  gather  and  which 
turns  to  decay. 

I  heard  the  armies  of  the  east  and  of  the  west 
praying  for  victory,  and  the  favor  of  their  gods 
visited  them  and  was  withdrawn. 


ICX) 


THE     ETERNAL     QUEST 

Then  a  Voice  spoke  from  the  smoke  above 
the  battle-field,  saying:  I  am  greater  than 
thy  god  or  the  god  of  thine  enemy.  The  victory 
which  is  to  come  shall  be  not  thy  victory  nor  the 
victory  of  thine  enemy.  It  shall  be  My  victory, 
for  I  am  the  God  of  thine  enemy  and  of  thyself, 
and  My  victory  shall  be  for  all  men  and  all 
nations. 


lOI 


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